Give Up
by Cobwebbs
Summary: Two years after what was the second worst day in his life, Dick Grayson disbanded the YJ and flew solo. Batgirl, Flash, and the new Robin all tried to pull him out, as a new threat appears that none of them can figure out. New allies, enemies, and broken feeling come forth in an attempt to save or stop. . . something? Souls are bound to shatter. And 'Family' is a stretching word.
1. Chap 1: Before the Beginning

**A/N) This is a huge bunny that won't leave me alone! I've been obsessing over Young justice and Teen titans all month, reading stories left and right, it's called Bing reading, and then this mash up was born. Thrown together from some YJ, TT, Batman, Comics storylines, and a whole mess of AU-ish thoughts from my brain.**

 **As you've probably understood by now, this won't be a one show based story. Ok, good ok. I look forward to your thoughts. And just a heads up this will have several different characters that never appeared in YJ. Yah I think I made it pretty clear that this will be stretched far into the DC universe. But I categorized it in the YJ fandom because it has a more open selection of characters, not like TT. Plus the bat-clan is involved with a bunch of others.** **Yah.**

 **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

 **Have fun!**

* * *

He shouldn't have let him go on his own.

It was a stupid thing to do. He knew there was something bigger then a simple drug operation going underway. _Why?_ Why had he let him go out on his own!

Nightwing suppressed the sickness that was swarming from his middle and threatening to immobilize his limbs. He and his current team were rushing down from Gotham Bay to find and possibly save Robin. Their Robin. _His_ Robin. _His little brother._

"Nightwing! The com's fuzzing! I can't get a read on Robin!" Batgirl rang in his ear as they roared down the dark streets. Rain started pelting his face. When had it started? He didn't care. His body was numb, he couldn't feel anything, the terror was strangling him.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid_! It was supposed to be a simple retrieval mission. How had it gone so wrong? Nightwing suppressed a shudder. _Supposed to be_ and _was_ , were two very distinctly different things for them in this line of work.

He'd let Robin go off to search over and get evidence from a warehouse downtown Gotham. Then came the bone chilling yelp. Robin had actually called in distress. All that was left replaying in his mind was the horrible blood rotting screeching laughter piercing his ear and heart.

He refused to believe who's laugh that was. _No. It wasn't_. His rationale brain was refusing the fact so strongly, it actually hurt to keep at bay. That monster couldn't be there. _He couldn't_! He had no connection with this mess at all. _None_. _Why would he be there? Why would he be there. . . with Robin_.

 _His little brother._

A loud explosion erupted only half a mile away, the dark sky lit up as the hard cracking ground shook. The young hero gasped, lost mental control for a moment which made him lose balance that threw him off his roaring bike.

He rolled to a stop, panting, ignoring the stinging of several scraps on his face as his team landed or stopped next to him.

"Night-"

He didn't stay to hear.

He jumped up and flew towards the wreak, barley breathing, blood from a small concussion dripped down his face mingling with sweat, rain and dirt.

No. _No. NO! He's ok. He has to be ok! He is ok_! The young mans brain tore in on it's self as his vision blurred.

The sight of the smoking, flaming warehouse flashed and engraved it's grotesque image in his mind.

"No!"

Nightwing wouldn't have it. He couldn't let it be. He threw himself forward only to be stopped by a blur.

"Dude, no. You can't. It's flaming, Nightwing, STOP!" A red and yellow clad teen tried to stop the desperate friend.

"No. Kid! Let me GO! I HAVE TO GET TO HIM, YOU CANT'! Stop!"The boy flow out of his friends grasp and punched him across the face. With a new sense of terror and desperation that was ripping him apart he threw himself toward the accident and began tearing at the fallen debris.

"Robin? ROBIN!? PLEASE!ROBIN! Please, little wing, don't, _not like this_!" His rant came out harsh and ended broken as he dug at the hot wood and dirt. He ignored his blurring vision or how the world was caving in, all that mattered was that he got his little brother out. Alive. _God, please be alive_.

"Nightwing, please." It was M'gann's soft voice.

He ignored them all. Nobody moved, all too stunned to move. Nightwing lost control. A flash of black and yellow caught his eyes. _God No_. His heart stopped, his lungs collapsed, his head spun like a top, a loud buzzing filled his ears as voices blurred around him.

He shakily pushed the wooden plank and wall away.

The air was stiff and cold. The rain felt like needles stabbing at his flesh as he lifted the limp body of Robin. Of his little brother. Cold. Bleeding. Silent.

He heard a hiccup gasp behind him. Or was it from him? He didn't know or care.

"Jason." He whispered brokenly, "God, no, Jason, please." He forgot the rest of the world and hugged the limp form to him, not noticing the cold blood.

 _And cried._

* * *

 **Sorry it's so short. Don't worry. The rest won't be, I promise. This was just a prologue that would help you along with the rest of this story so you won't be lost ok?**

 **So let me know, like? Love? Hate? Tell me why if you hate?**

 **Did I do justice to Dick's character? Maybe? Never written him as Nightwing before.**

 **If I get good response then I will definitely make this story happen!**

 **Even if your response is like three words, still make's me feel like writing!**

 **Catch ya later peeps.**


	2. Chap 2: The way it is Now

**A/N) Here you go. Chapter 2 or officially chapter 1. Whatever. Quite a bit longer then the last one. And MY GOD! Whatever happened to this site for a whole DAY AND A HALF almost KILLED ME! I thought my story was over! Anyway, triple excited and I hope Ya'll get to like my story more! Thanks for the reviews!**

 **Have fun!**

 **P.S. A quick reminder, this story is drawn from several sources, including my brain, so if something isn't accurate, it isn't supposed to be ;-)**

* * *

Barbara Gordon let out an exasperated sigh as she ran a tired hand through her long red hair. Her blue eyes scanned the screen for the millionth time that day. Over the same article she was supposed to proofread for the paper. It was a small job, a little underpaying, but it gave her some source of income. She was planning on moving to bigger things once she started collage. But right now, an after school part time job was all she had.

She brought a paper cup to her lips absently, still reading the same line carefully. Cold coffee stale in her mouth brought her attention to reality.

 _Ugh. Note to self: Put coffee in thermos._

"Gordon. Shifts over. Get going. No over time." A tall woman with thick red lips popped her blond head in Barbara's not so spacious cubicle.

The younger female nodded and saved her work, clicking off. Thankful this story wasn't due to print until Saturday.

She stood up, stretched her aching back, grabbed her purse and headed out into the crisp autumn air of Gotham city. She took in a deep breath of polluted air, the only kind of air she'd ever known. It was fresh compared to that office. She rubbed her eyes and headed for the bus stop. No car. She'd lost it in an accident last month. Almost broke her back too. But she'd survived, that's what was important.

 _Yah, survived. Ironic._

Just then a loud blarring of a car horn got her attention. She turned to see a red Chevy sport roll up next to her, the window rolling down at the same time. A grinning red haired man looked out at her.

"Hey Babe, need a ride?" His eyes twinkled mischievously.

Barbara laughed, "Wally, what are you doing here? In a car?" The thought of kid flash in a car was to good not to laugh at.

The young man grinned, "I know right! But this is the second fastest way for the fastest man alive to get around. Though the red lights kill me!" He gasped over dramatically.

She laughed lightly, "I bet. As for the ride, sure. I could do with one. Tired anyway." She smiled, slipping into the passenger seat, "SO how's thing Mr. West?" She asked casually. She didn't see much of Wally or any other member anymore. The team was broken after the death of Robin. Of course that was two years ago. They'd moved on. But the bat family had a hard time of it. Neither of them, not even Barbara, had moved on completely, yet.

 _Especially Dick._

He'd become more reserved and calculating. Less smiles, almost now teases or jokes. Barley around anymore either. Bruce had grieved. Horribly. It seemed to the youngers that the man might have gone a little crazier after that. But then came Tim. . .

"Earth to Babs! Hallooo, hey you ok Barbara?"

The young woman snapped her attention back to the driver, "Um, sorry Wally. What'd you say?"

Wally sighed, "I said, how's Dickie? I don't see him around . . . much."

 _Anymore was more like it_. Barbara thought bitterly. Avoiding her and the rest of the bat-clan was done at a minimal. But Dick had all but smashed ties to anyone else that was or had been his friends.

"He's still alive if that counts." She said, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

She sensed the speedster tense then slump in his seat, as if defeated. _Wally West? Defeated? That was never good._ Out of all of them, Wally had been the only one that attempted to hold on to the members of the team. He even succeeded for a while, but then it slowly dissolved due to the others either, not trying, leaving to join other groups, or just flat out disappearing.

Last Barbara had heard was that only M'gann still talked and kept contact.

"Yah. It counts Barb." The young man took a deep breath, his bright deep blue eyes on the road. Wally had grown, that was for sure, less freckled, taller, more muscle mass, broader shouldered. And more serious. That was one of the things that surprised most. Wally had grown much more serious, still smiled, poked fun, and even teased, but his eyes held an older feel to them than they had a few years back.

"Here we go." He finally spoke up, snatching Barbara from her thoughts again, "Say hi to the family for me, kay?"

She nodded, "Sure Wally. See you soon?" She asked almost hopefully.

"You bet. See ya Babs." With that he drove away, much to slowly for a speedster.

Barbara watched until he disappeared down the drive way of Wayne manor. Yes, she was aware it wasn't her house, but it might as well have been. She rarely ever went home lately, even had a room made up for her, courtesy of good old Alfred that seemed to be the only stable and unchanging thing in their messed up lives.

"Good afternoon Ms. Gordon." Alfred greeted her as she entered the massive main entry.

She smiled softly and gave the elderly man a warm hug, "Thanks Alfred, it always is if I get to see you. So. Status?"

Alfred nodded, understanding what she meant, "Master Dick is in the cave working on some new found case, won't say anything about it. Master Tim is currently in his room Dealing with Shakespeare, Master Bruce is off world. Again. You?"

Barbara sighed, _typical._

"Me? Rough day. Wally dropped me off. Says hi. I'll go up to see Timmy. And what is that delicious smell?" She sniffed, her body relaxed from the tension she didn't realize she had built throughout the day.

"Roast beef and mashed potatoes with apple pie." He stated simply.

"Yum." She grinned and started up the grand stairs, "See you at dinner Alfred."

"Of course, 7:30. sharp."

"Got it." And she continued up the stairs.

Good old Al. Always there, looking out for everyone, even though none belonged to him, he acted like the most efficient father, or grandfather, always knew what they needed, be it food, space, a shoulder to cry on. Anything. They only had to be looked at by those soft, yet information gathering grey eyes. And he knew. Barbara loved the old man almost as much as she loved her father.

She walked down the big Hallway, filled with closed doors. Some worn from use, others locked up for years, she knew by heart which door's belonged to Dick, Tim and . . . Which one had belonged to Jason. She swallowed hard. The thought of the young deceased Robin still made her heart ach. Jason. _Little Jason Todd_. So aggressive, so sure of himself, yet so insecure and hurting. He wasn't one to let his feelings out constructively, the life of Robin had helped him change that some. But it still ended tragically.

 _At least he died a hero instead of a scum_. She thought weakly. That was the kind of logic that kept her going for so long. _He could have died worse_. Then she'd proceed on with whatever she was doing, trying her utmost to ignore the nagging voice in the back of her well tuned brain telling her that dying at the hands of that clown... _was pretty freaking hard to top with worse._

She knocked softly at a door.

"Come in." A young voice answered distractedly.

Barbara pushed it open to see a young boy, barely thirteen, sprawling on a bed in an extremely well organized room. He had a small frame, that would have been pretty pathetic if she didn't know how strong he really was from being Robin. Quick calculating blue eyes, black hair that he kept impeccably combed and short, and a pointed face.

Timothy Drake was the latest addition to the Wayne household.

Dick had found and rescued him after his parents were killed. The boy had instantly deduced who he was and who batman was through a connection he made from seeing Dick perform the same move Nightwing could. The boy had proven himself impeccably brilliant and too good a mind to waste by throwing him in a foster home. So Dick had let go of the past for some time only to take Tim and demand that Bruce keep him.

Bruce had been near breaking point by then and had refused violently. Tim had known why. But hadn't said. Finally Dick won the case and Timmy was let to stay, eventually, after intensive training and mental checks, Bruce let him be the new Robin. It had a considerably bright affect on the family for a while. Tim was so different from Jason, it was easy to be around him. He was so smart, and carful, so eager to please he never thought about going against on order. So fresh and young.

So... _Not Jason._

"Hey Barb." The young boy's face lit up as he sat up, the book he was studying so intently forgotten.

She smiled soflty, "What's up Tim? Having trouble?"

He looked at the book then at her, "Yah. Want to help me out? I hate Shakespeare." He stated simply.

Barbara laughed and sat next to him on the bed, "I swear, every time. Shakespeare just never sat well with you boys." She smiled at him.

Tim shrugged, "I was gonna ask Dick but . . . He's busy." Barbara didn't miss the hurt that flashed in his eyes. Tim was also the least capable of them that could hide true feelings.

"Don't worry Tim. Wouldn't have done any good. Dick's probably worse at Shakespeare then you are." She comforted, "Here, lets' see what you got."

"Thanks Babs!" He looked at her and smiled admiringly.

Barbara returned it. Ignoring the stinging memory that flooded her mind. The same smile Jason would give her if no one was around to see it but her.

"Let's look at page twenty."

* * *

Wally pulled up to a broken mobile home that was turned into a run down café a few years back, it was called 'The Spot' He looked at the broken flashing neon sign.

 _Still a dump._

He wasn't here to eat though. Not usually. Just made a twice a week trip, more if he could, to see an old friend.

He walked into the small, creaky room. A few tables on one side a counter on the other with a tiny kitchen behind. The walkway was just barely wide enough for two if him. The tile cracked and yellowing, wallpaper peeled in several places and the few florescent lights blinked every few minutes.

He ignored the shoddy surroundings and let a smile brighten his face as he walked over to the counter. A young woman with reddish brown hair was bent under.

"The usual." He said smoothly, leaning against the fading counter.

"Wally!" She popped up and smiled widely, just barley straggling him over the narrow counter.

"No getting friendly in work hours!" A horse voice yelled from the kitchen.

She let go, "Sorry! How are you Wally!" She turned back to him with a smile.

He shrugged, '"Normal, lonely, you know the deal. How' 'bout you Megs? How's that old grouch payin' you?"

M'gann M'orrz was taller than before, she'd grown considerably from their younger teen years. Her hair was just beginning to grow out again, she was Miss Martian in her human skin color at the moment, but still pretty. Also the only one who cared enough to keep in contact. Lately, being abandoned was the way things went with him ever since that stupid kid. . . no, since that freakin' clown, killed that kid. He'd killed more than that though. He'd killed a team that really was too new to die out.

But he'd tired. So _dang_ hard too. Super boy vanished. Kalder went back to Atlantis, Beast boy had disappeared with some demon girl, the rest moved to other cities, or just faded away, and Artemis. . . he refused to think about the female archer. She was the first that abandoned him. She hadn't meant to, he knew, but juggling a psycho father, a pregnant sister and a new look took her time up, eventually she had moved in with Jade to help protect her from those that would harm her during state of weakness. He'd hated that.

 _But he didn't stop her._

Nothing in life was set in stone, especially not in their kind of lives.

"Wally, stop." Meg said softly, breaking his thoughts.

He blinked at her, "What?"

She shook her head with a soft smile, "Stop tormenting yourself with the past. I can see it in your eyes. Your not very good at hiding things like that." She teased lightly.

Wally smiled half heartedly, "Yah. You got me. I was just thinking about Art-"

"Forget it Wally. Don't go there. It's like me a Conner. Just... don't okay. It's better we leave it as it is." She turned away slightly, avoiding his blue eyes.

He understood, Super boys disappearance had hurt Meg more than anyone knew. She'd cried a lot. And he was the one she'd cried to. He hadn't cried though. It just hurt like _heck._

"Sorry Megs. Naw, actually I ran into Barb this afternoon. She seemed really tired. Dickie must be giving hell back home. Though I wouldn't know." He finished glumly. He really did miss his best friend. Dork had practically slammed the bat cave in his face the first time he'd tried to talk him into talking about his feelings over Jason's death.

 _Idiot. Always trying to help others, never taking any for himself. Moron forgets he's human to, or maybe he's just playing the batman card cuz it's easier._

"Here, coco, hot and with extra marshmallow. Ease up." She slid a steaming glass towards him.

Wally smiled, "Thanks."

The just stayed silent for a minute. Silent and just . . . ok. For now. _Don't think. Don't Think. Don't think. Thinking leads to hurting. Hurting leads to distractions, distractions leads to-_

"See you Megs." He stood up, paid, kissed her forehead and slid out the small café.

He shouldn't have left like that. He knew. But the room was getting too constricting for his stupid thoughts. He didn't know why he waltzed around Gotham so much. He lived in Star but being the fastest man alive brought him here, all the time. Wasn't sure what he was looking for, or if he was looking for anything. But somehow, he always ended up here.

Maybe somewhere inside, he thought that if he stuck around, he'd get to fix something. What he was trying to fix, Wally wasn't to sure any more.

* * *

The hallway was cold and only lit every few feet by red lights above. Her high black heels clicked on the stone floor, her body, incased in a tight black suite that cut low down her chest, moved gracefully, her head high.

She was Talia al Ghul and proud of it. Heiress to a formidable legacy and currently on a highly secreted project.

She pushed open a door that lead into a room that was illuminated by an eerie bone chilling green that shone behind a glass window.

"Report." Her word were short, authority dripping.

A short man with aging skin and nonexistent hair, that was currently studying something through the glass window, looked over, bowed in respect and handed her a set of papers.

"We are studying the subjects." He had a high voice that could remind someone of a conniving rat, "So far only one has had positive results. But this one, is . .. Disturbing to say the least." The man pointed into the green ooze.

Talia's deadly eyes narrowed as she looked emotionlessly at a figure that looked almost human. Spasms and shudders erupted through it. It looked as if the subject was in intense pain.

"Keep on eye. Father requested this one above all. Make sure he doesn't burn." With that she clicked out of the room, her brown hair swishing behind her.

"Yes Mistress." The man hissed and looked back at the thrashing body, "Make sure he doesn't burn." He scoffed to himself, "Easier said then done. As if we're making cookies here."

He would never say those things to Talia's face, least he had a death wish, no, but the thought couldn't help escaping his moth into thin air as he scrutinized the miserly form.

"Disgusting."


	3. Chap 3: The Backwards Lines

**A/N) Ok so I got way more follows the reviews but hey, that's ok! At least I know people are actually looking forward to my next chapters!**

 **Just a heads up, I suck at action scens, I don't know, _I_ think I do. Maybe you'll think different. But whatever, always looking for some friendly advice, if you can give me some that would be great!**

 **Have fun! And just so you Nightwing fans out there know, he isn't going to be so great in these first parts. But don't worry, all part of the story!**

* * *

She fought with her pride. A battle that she had been doing since for ever now. Barbara knew he was down in the bat cave, she knew he was probably busy, She _Knew_ he would barley talk to her then she'd get mad then they'd start a new cycle of heated anger and arguing.

It was inevitable. And she _hated_ it. Thoughts about how it used to be clouded her mind and often, after their worst fights, she'd couldn't stop those over whelming feelings. The way he used to be. The way _Dick Grayson_ used to be. Then, she'd forgive him all over again. Against her will and pride, she'd forgive him all over again.

She slipped into the secret entrance and waited with abated breath until she reached the massive underground cave. Fully teched out and updating. She wondered if Bruce even kept track of it any more. Maybe Dick was the one updating it. Needless to say it always had some new model of something in it whenever she mustered up the idea to come down. Which was usually once every three weeks, depending if they had fought or not.

She tip toed down the winding steps.

Sure enough, there he was, bent over the computer console, tapping away angrily, his blue eyes, maskless, squinting at the blaring screen that you could see from mount Everest.

His body was tense under his new Nightwing suit, that stuck to every muscle he had. He either didn't realize she was there or knew but didn't care enough to show it.

"Dick?" _Stupid! I sound so weak. Why can't I just say something normal. Rough day. Remember, Rough day._ She sighed loudly and ran a hand through her burning hair, "Um, what's up?" She asked after a minute of silence, she hated when he was in Bat mode.

"New case. People disappearing. Bane toxin being relocated over waters. Looking for ring leads." He muttered almost robotically.

She'd noticed that was a newer thing for him. In the beginning he'd get angry at everything. Then he went through a faze where he didn't seem to care about anything, then came the faze where he forcefully hide all form of feeling and now . . . he was acting like an emotionless robot!

Her bright blue eyes studied his unmoving face. Dick had changed. Ever since Jason died, he'd changed so drastically even she had trouble keeping up. Oh, who was she kidding. She _couldn't_ keep up. Which was why he had dug a void between them almost bigger then the one he'd dug for outsiders, or as they used to be, his friends.

"Oh. Ok. Well, need help? I can always run a little over the systems and-"

"No. Got what I need." He stood up, now a towering six-four, "Tell Al I'm coming home late tonight." Then he brushed past her effortlessly, The coldness biting Babs through her sweater, slipped on his mask and disappeared into the vehicle nook to get his bike.

Barbara didn't move. She stayed there, her eyes closed in fury, taking deep breaths as she heard the roar of his motor blare then dim as he road out the cannel.

 _Not going to cry. No_. She was stronger than that. He didn't deserve that. Pulling her emotions under protective wraps she opened her eyes and slid into his chair, still warm from his otherwise, alive body.

Her slim fingers danced over the keyboard expertly until she pulled up what she wanted.

 _Bane inc, spreading. Funny, never pictured that muscle bound moron for a business man_. She scoffed under her breath as she read the meeting points. With a satisfied click she stood up and headed up stairs.

Dick may be in charge of Gotham while Batman was away, but he sure as heck wasn't in charge of her.

She slipped her head into the living room where Tim was playing a video game, fully concentrating.

"Hey Timmy?"

"Yah?" He answered distractedly, moving his body with the hero on the game.

"Wanna do some real hero work tonight?"

His attention drawn, he dropped the game and bound up to her with a grin, "You bet!"

"Great!" She smiled, "Now go get ready, Robin and Batgirl are hitting the town!" She ignored the sting of familiarity those words had as she watched the younger boy laughed and flip down into the cave.

"Awesome!"

She nodded to herself firmly. _Batgirl and Robin._

How many times has she been through _that._

* * *

Green Arrow glared at the screen as he replayed the last robbery over and over again. A set of well trained men had broken into Stars lab and were seen carrying out some relatively unimportant chemicals. Oliver couldn't figure out what in the heck these guys were up too. Usually the League was to busy to handle something like a half cocked robbery, but Batman had contacted him and told him to keep on eye on these guys.

Apparently they were cronies frm a high ranged Assassin group that the B-man knew. and where up to something different, which seemed to gain the Bats attention to a point. But since the Leuge had sent him off world into a inter dimension mission, he'd asked, or ordered, Ollie to take care of it.

 _Pfft. Yah, cuz I'm not already stretched out. Handling an AWOL sidekick AND two cities, not to mention keeping an eye on the brats down there_.

When he'd asked Bats why he didn't give it to his trusted sidekicks down _IN_ the city, he'd just given him an icy glare and signed off.

 _Yep. typical, moody bat behavior._

Ollie tapped the console off and stood up. Whatever these freaks where doing, it didn't seem do be anything of immediate worry.

 _Yah, Bats is probably just over paranoid. Yah that's it._

Then he proceeded in going to find something to eat before something actually did happen.

* * *

Nightwing perched in a hidden nook as he watched the six masked men in heavy sea fairing jackets, loading boxes on a barge in the middle of the night. If that didn't scream 'shady' he didn't know what did.

With practiced grace he flipped and landed directly on one of the purp's, effectively knocking him flat.

The other two whirled around, to his surprise, and one threw a studied punch at him, he barley dodged and kicked one of them away.

The one under him shot a sharp kick to his knee causing him to momentarily loose balance before he flipped over, sunset style and landed like a cat behind them.

In an instant they turned around, threw off their seamen attire and each pulled out a deadly sharp sword.

Dick took one step back.

Something told him these guys weren't just your average thugs.

* * *

"You see him yet?" Robin asked while landing lightly on the roof of a boat house next to Batgirl's crouching form.

The older hero looked through a pair of compact binoculars, "No. I know I got the right coordinates. Where the heck is-"

Her words were cut off by a loud crash and yelp. Robins eyes widened through his mask, both thinking the same thing.

 _Nightwing's in trouble!_

Fear gripped her chest, he barley ever got in to trouble any more. This wasn't good. They simultaneously drew out their lines and shot them to swing over.

Batgirl landed just in time to have Nightwings body collide with hers, both went rolling and hitting a stack of massive crates.

Robin instantly drew out his staff, "Um, Nightwing?" He looked down at his fallen predecessor.

Batgirl grunted and lifted her crushed body up, "He-he's out cold." Her eyes widened, "Robin Look-"

Too late. A punch landed in the boys gut sending him sprawling across the dock.

The red headed heroine slipped out from under Nightwings weight and flipped over in front of them, "Hey, where did you guys come from?!" She snapped, partly confused. Since when did drug dealers have moves?

In a blurring rush, six men flew at her with deadly attacks. She flipped, dodged, and just barley missed getting herself decapitated.

Meanwhile Robin drew in a second wind and threw a birdarang, successfully slicing one of the men in the shoulder, also, successfully getting his undivided attention.

 _Oh boy._

"Um, sorry 'bout that." The new boy wonder smiled not so apologetically, "Looked like it hurt."

The man threw punch, Robin blocked, aimed his stick only to have it grasped, and twisted out of his hands, he flipped backwards several times, the man grabbed his cape, threw him on his back, hard, causing him to choke, out of breath, before kicking him in the side.

"Robin!" Batgirl yelped, fear stabbed her, her mind blurred as the onslaught became harsher, then a whistle blew from, god only knew where.

The men instantly melted away, threw Robin to the side and headed for the barge as if nothing happened. Batgirl sputtered, pushed her self to her feet in anger and lashed out by throwing a half aimed Batarang at the closest freak. It hit his hand making him hiss and drop whatever he was carrying, the others grabbed his angered form and dragged him to the boat before he could attack her.

Batgirl watched, breathing heavy, sick feelings pitted in her stomach, the adrenaline wore off, her wounds were noticed, she blacked out.

* * *

When she came too, Robins soft face lined with worry was staring down at her as he crouched over.

"Bab-Batgirl!" He corrected his near mistake of names on the field, "Thank god! I was almost freaking out." He admitted slightly ashamed.

She groaned and sat up, dizziness rushing to her head. Now she noticed where they were. Still at the docks, and by the looks of things, she'd been out for a while. So had they, or else why would they still be here.

Her blue eyes caught Nightwings bending form.

 _Not even an 'are you ok?_ ' She thought bitterly.

"You ok?" She asked, half in real concern and other half to guilt him.

He straightened and looked at her, for the first time in a while, his face stayed hard, "Fine. Here's a better question. What the heck where you and Robin doing here!?"

She bit back a grimace as she stood up on sore legs, ignoring the sting of his words, "Um, our job? Your welcome by the way, Mr. I'm-too- stubborn-to admit-I almost-got-my butt-handed-to-me!" She countered, with less than moderate control over her voice. Today was just freaked up. She was done controlling. She glared defiantly at him, her hands solidly on her hips, Robin looked up, back and froth between them, sensing the tension, he seemed to shrink away.

The ex-Robin tensed visibly, "I would have handled it! Nobody asked you two to be here." He bit back.

"Nobody needed too! Last I checked we're not a team anymore remember? I can go to any mission I see fit. As for Robin, you don't take him, so he comes with me." She spoke so fiercely, her throat hurt. For a second there she actually saw Nightwings iciness fail. It looked like she'd slapped him.

Then it was back, he built the ice right back up, "Forget it. Do what you want, just stay out of my way." He ordered roughly, then turned and walked away, his hands fisted.

Batgirl was near screeching point. That's what he always did when he didn't want to deal with something healthily. Just walk away! When the hell was he going to learn you can't walk way from everything!

"Um, Batgirl?" A timid voice asked behind her.

Barbara felt her anger melt in remembering the young boy was there, "Oh, yah Robin?"

He eyed her warily, as if not sure if she would explode or not, "You . . . one of those guys dropped something. I picked it up before Nightwing came to." He looked slightly ashamed as he uncurled his fist to show her it's contents, "I didn't tell him. I-I don't know if I should have but-"

Batgirls felt her face stretch into an appreciative smile for this boy, "Timmy, you couldn't have done more right. This'll teach that hard head not to throw away his heart." She reached out and took a small vial that seemed to glow an eerie green, it reflected powerfully from the strange substance inside, "Come on Robin. We have some detective work to do. Without Nightwing."

* * *

Wally felt bad about it. He really did, his conscious didn't let things like that go. He really shouldn't have thrown that conversation in Megs face yesterday. Especially since she had been about the only one that still reached out to him. That's why he found himself clearing his schedule and making another trip to Gotham and the shabby café.

He sighed, ran a hand trough his unruly red hair and walked into the room like place. He saw Meg bent under the counter as usual.

With a slight smile he walked to the counter, "Hey, Megs? I'm sorer 'bout yesterday and-"

She straightened and glared at him. Wait? That wasn't Megs soft brown eyes. Hard green ones replaced them, come to think of it, this wasn't Meg at all. He was staring onto a face of a much shorter young woman. Her face was sharp and defiant, Her eyes a cutting green, her hair a soft brown that framed around her head.

Wally had never seen her in his life, but there was something off about her. His instincts shuddered through, "Um, Hi? I don't believe I know you?"

She narrowed her eyes at him in uncalled for sucpision, "You think? Now are you going to order or what?" She snapped while swishing a cloth over the dim counter.

Wally watched, her hands were awful small, her entire being was small, delicate looking. But the way she was glareing at him said otherwise.

"Um, yah I . .. I'm Wally West."

"How nice for you." She replied less than honestly.

"Wally!" Megs high voice called as she appeared from the back, she caught sight of the red heads confused face, "Oh, I see you've met my new co-worker. Mallory this is Wally, he's a real good friend, we go way back." She smiled brightly at him. Mallory scoffed.

Wally didn't get it, usually people liked him. Usually.

"Yah. Nice to meet you Mall, um hey Megs. Just came to say I'm sorry for running out yesterday." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, asking for forgiveness.

He caught an eye roll from the new girl before she shifted away, Meg laughed, "Aw, Wally that's so sweet of you. But I'm fine. No big deal. Silly, I knew you weren't having a good day." She patted his shoulder lightly, "Roll?" She asked giving him a cinnamon roll.

He grinned lightly and took it, "Thanks, I'll need it for work later." He winked before he scarfed it down.

Meg caught the hint and smiled, "Have fun. Don't get hurt ok."

Licking his fingers one by one Wally nodded, "See ya Megs. Bye Mallory." With a friendly wave he was gone.

Meg smiled after him. Wally West the ever present heart of life.

 _Even after it was broken several times._

* * *

After months of this mess. Talia felt the conclusion of her father's project nearly here. Sufficed to say she hadn't agreed with his idea of genetically enhanced creature, or his attempt to immortalize the dead.

But what had taken the most to swallow was who he was testing his project on. Granted, they'd sent their men out to dig up graves and bodies of past officers and army men.

But when he had the body of her Beloveds past partner dug and brought. Talia almost drew a line. One that was none existent for her entire life. Watching the boy shrivel and thrash almost made her feel pity. _Almost._

The project wasn't meant to succeed, she knew it wasn't. Not yet. But then there was that first bit of advancement that said ' _positive_ ' of course then Father wouldn't shut it down completely.

 _Fine then._ She would let it go. Let it slid to as far as possible without drawing a betrayal mark on herself. But once she got her chance, she'd put her plot into motion. She had too.

"Mistress?" A submissive voice caught her attention.

She turned coldly an looked down at the bowing warrior, "What is it?"

"Dr. Benet has taken Subject 423 out. Mistress - you need to see this." He sounded shocked.

Talia's face flashed for a second. Then she followed the man out of the room.

 _Time to see where this mess stood now._


	4. Chap 4: Moving Forward

**_A/N)Ok here you go all. Thanks for favoring and stuff, but If it isn't too much to ask, can you all show me that this story isn't boring you? I'd really like to hear from anyone. I feel kind of left out. Meh, even if it is boring you, tell me anyway._**

 ** _I hope you like this chapter. I'm exploring really far in my writing skill. I really want to see where I can go with this story. I hope you all do too._**

 ** _P.S. For some reason the break line between Timmy's POV and Dicks wouldn't stay put so don't be confused by the line of A's. Lol._**

* * *

 _Searing, burning, raging pain. Nothing like fire. Worse than hell. Images . . . broken, stretched . . .hideous. Smiling blood. Flaming death. Not there. Darkness. Swimming in liquid toxin._

 _Then . . .Suddenly a pressure weighing down so forcefully it could kill. Wait, no . . .already dead, how .. . ?_

 _" **That doesn't seem possible, but it's true!"**_

 _Dim sound, through water. Deafening ring._

 _" **What are the side affects?"**_

 _Burbling through a thick cracking wall. Slipping through like slime that burned._

 _" **We don't see any yet. Full vitals indicate he's, perfectly . . .alive! Unbelievable."**_

 _A agonizing stab through the chest.. . . ._

* * *

Talia actually felt her body tensed as she watched the now newly reborn body give a convulsive twist.

"Benet." The word fell cold and hard on the shorter mans head, as if she'd pounded it with her fist.

"I. Um, I supposed he's still unstable, his newly reborn mind is trying to remember what it's suppose to do. Such as make him breathe." He shifted nervously, watching the body thrash against the glass case he was in, "The machines will help him though. As you know this is beyond unnatural." He hid the malice in his voice from her.

But Talia heard it anyway, "Am I to understand you think you have a right to disapprove of Father's projects."

It felt like she'd stabbed him. He could sense her looming danger, "N-no Mistress, it's just . .. nobody expected this to happen." He shuddered involuntarily at the same moment as the body they were watching did.

"Perhaps." She turned, "Let me know when he is actually conscious. And Doctor." She stopped at the door, barley tilting her head towards him, "Make sure he stays alive. Understand." It sounded like 'o _r else I will make sure you die in the most worst way.'_

"Yes Mistress."

Then she was gone.

The Doctor looked back at the body, still thrashing sporadically in the case. _Terrifyingly_ alive. A body he'd seen decomposed into almost nothing. Just barley existing in deaths form. Now . . . moving, thrashing, alive.

The bald man couldn't look. He'd done some horrible things working for the Al Ghuls, but this . . . was even more than _his_ stomach could take.

* * *

Days, he'd been tracking this mess for days. Still nothing.

Dick leaned back with a small groan and rubbed his eyes, trying to rub the stiffness he felt in them out. He'd analyzed, recalculated, reanalyzed everything. Nothing came up. _Nothing._

He covered his face with his hands and curled inward, _Damn it. damn it all._ He hissed to himself, _why wasn't anything coming up to a conclusion._ His brain hurt, his body was exhausted, lack of sleep for the past week. His mind wasn't thinking as sharply as it should have.

He didn't want to believe that.

 _I'm fine._

That's what he told everyone, all the time. And almost, no, EVERY time it was a bold faced lie. Or was it a _hard_ faced lie? He didn't care. The past years he'd been trying to lock away feelings, thoughts, that lead to feelings. Everything that hurts.

He knew it was wrong. He knew he was falling down the line of the very thing he didn't want to become. But something inside couldn't bring himself to care. He refused to feel what it was. It would kill him if he did.

 _We need you Dick._

 _Tim needs you._

 _... I need you. Please._

Babs soft face imploring him to open up. He shuddered away from it.

 _Come on Dickie, please. We can talk. It'll help._

 _I never get to see you anymore Buddy. I miss you. Don't leave me hanging._

 _Not like everyone else_.

Wally had practically thrown away his dignity and begged.

He'd locked the door.

 _Master Dick. Your hurting yourself in a way I haven't seen since . . master Bruce._

 _Your different. You have people all around you that love you._

 _Don't lose yourself._

He'd given Alfred his cold back.

So many others, so _many_ of his friends, they had tried, in the beginning. They all had tried. But soon they'd given up. All of them. Well, _most_ of them. But he didn't want to think of those that were still holding out to him. It made him feel worse then the scum he'd devoted himself to fight.

And _Batman._

He refused to think of Batman. He couldn't. Not without remembering the older man's face when he'd looked at him after . . . _that incident._

He hadn't said it. But Dick _saw it_. He read it clear as day.

" _Why did you let him go."_

It had stabbed him like a knife. The first time he'd failed so _hard._

Sure, he'd failed lots of times before, but never enough to make Batman look at him that way, that hateful, hateful way. The one time he did. And it took-

"Dick?"

 _Dammit._ He forgot he was still curled up in a fetal position. Instantly he straightened and whirled around to meet Timmy's eyes, wide, worried, innocently questioning him.

"Yah?"

The younger boy shifted nervously. _Poor kid._ Dick felt his heart give a tweak. He'd brought him into this life, then just left him behind. Like Batman. He fought back a guilty grimace.

"Um. The case your working on." He spoke slowly, calculating the effect of each word, "Do you-are you almost closing it?" It seemed off point, the way he'd asked.

Dick knew he wanted to ask something else.

"No." Then he turned back to the console to get back to work.

Tim stood there silently, he could feel the younger boys eyes on his back. The sadness and longing that came with it. He almost wanted to turn around and give the boy a hug. But . . .

 _Don't turn around. Don't turn around. Don't turn around. If you do you'll regret it._

Finally, after another breath taking minute he felt the boy turn and disappear back to the manor.

Dick let out a tensed sigh, then, not being able to think anymore, he let his face fall on the desk and everything went black.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa

* * *

Tim hated it. He _hated all of it._

Becoming Robin had been, quite literally, the best day of his life. It was almost all he wanted to live for after his family had died. But then came that horrible bump in the road.

He remembered his first mission. The Joker had escaped. They'd gone after them. Tim noticed with slight worry, how blindly Batman followed what was otherwise an obvious trail.

He'd known it was a trap, he had _felt_ it. But he had been to afraid to say so out loud. That resulted in falling for the psycho clowns trap. _Almost killed him_.

Then, Tim witnessed the most horrible thing he'd ever seen. Batman loosing his cool. The man went on a rage. Joker had been ready to whack Tim with a metal pipe. Then the Bat turned into a _monster._

Tim had never heard, or even thought, that the Batman could go t _hat_ far. _So close._ He had been so close to finishing Joker.

Tim saw, with his own terrified eyes, Batman w _anted_ to kill him. Batman was going to cross that forbidden line.

Then Tim screamed.

 _Stop!_

That was it it took. Batman, on the verge of stabbing the clown with his own pipe, froze. Tim swore he had seen some kind of monster melt away from his mentors body that night. It made him sick to the point of puking to think about it.

A stir had risen, of course. Arkum doctors said they had never seen Joker this bad before. Not that anybody cared. Nobody cared for that clown. No, it was for themselves they started to worry. Fear had gripped them. What if Batman was finally losing it? Who could stop him if he did? He had been off lately, more baddies had come barely breathing but this . . .

Tim shuddered in shame.

He had thought the same things. To the point where he actually started to fear the batman himself.

The family had heard, nobody talked about it. Except Babs had tried to comfort him. To tell him it had been building since forever ago.

Since that monster had killed . . . the second Robin. Tim remembered looking at the tattered remains of that Robins suit, still in it's case in the cave. Wondering how old he'd be if he was alive right now, wondering what he would be like, wondering what anything would have been like if he was still alive.

Truth be told, Timmy always felt like a cheap and worthless replacement. He sometimes wished he could have met the other Robin. Who was he? How was he? He must have been pretty darn special for them to still be hurting. But then, these people, including himself, never did take any kind of death well.

"Barbara?" He peered over the older girls shoulder as he reached his room. She was staring at her laptop intently.

"Almost done with my analysis Tim." She stated proudly, smiling at her laptop screen.

Timmy fought sadness in his mind, if Dick had this vial maybe he would have made some important breakthrough and wouldn't have looked so broken like he had.

"Done! Yes, now we just have to . . . what the heck is this stuff?" Her sapphire eyes widened.

"I-" The young boy squinted at the reading of the oozes compound, "Looks like a mix of Bane's steroid serum and . . .something else?" He didn't know what the other molecules were.

Barbara didn't know either.

"Great, so we basically just hit another dead end and after keeping this from Dick too-"

"Keeping what from me."

The both jumped around.

Tim swallowed, Babs looked angry.

Dicks face was emotionless as he looked between them, a white T-shirt in his hand. It was the first time in a while Tim had seen him in normal clothes.

"What are you two doing?!" He demanded a little louder.

Barbara stood up defensively, "Detective work and if you think you can pry it out of us-"

"We found this serum after we fought those guys at the doc and analyzed it but we only know what it's half made of and that doesn't actually help because we don't know who's dealing with this or why." Tim blurted out breathlessly gasping at the end.

"Tim!" Babs looked like she would slap him.

"I-I'm sorry Babs but . . . This isn't a competition. If this is something big. Then we need to figure it out together." He said timidly, not meeting her eyes.

Barbara groaned. She hated it when he was right. She wasn't going to admit it but, she often did let her anger and competitiveness cloud her better judgment.

Dick glared daggers at them, '" _Seriously_ Barbara. You-"

Barbara jumped up, her eyes almost on fire, "Don't you 'seriously Barbara' me!" She yelled, loosing cool, "You can _not_ just stand there and tell me you have a right to reprimand us after what you've been doing you - Moron!"

Tim watched in worry as Dick's face went slack. Barbara looked murderous, standing right in Dicks space challengingly. _Oh god, the last time they fought_ . . .he couldn't sleep for a week!

"Barbara."

Her name came out in a mere whisper. Tim snapped his eyes open to look at his 'older brother.' Shocked to see Dick actually lose his stone front for the first time in forever.

Babs didn't move. She just glared. Waiting. _Waiting for what_? Tim wondered.

Then, just as quickly as it broke, that stone mask was back up, "Never mind. This is wasting time. Come on then. Spill it out. Then we get going." Dick's voice was hard an demanding.

Barbara wilted, Tim saw, before she covered it up, "Fine. Tim, get the sample. And where are we going Nitwing?" She snapped at Dick.

He purposely seemed to avoid her eyes.

Tim felt a chill run up his spine before Dick even said the words.

"Santa Prisca."


	5. Chap 5: More Crossing Problems

**A/N) OK, here yet another! Thanks so much for the reviews and all those Favors! And Follows! Awesome sauce man! I hope you like this Chapter. It's mostly brings forth more messes. Not much action, mostly a tying chapter, like a bridge, you know. But I hope you all have fun reading it anyway!**

 **Don't forget to drop by a small review! Only takes three second to type 'I like it' Or whatever! Let me know how it's going and what your thoughts about future chapters might be.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Another crisis averted. Wally, Flash, zipped at killer speed through the streets of Star. He'd just gotten through another fire call, five bank robberies, two armed rape's, and several shop lifters. _Pretty full day_. Not on a grand scale full but still full. He flashed through the river, over the train tracks, two seconds before the train crossed, in and out of traffic, _yep. All done for now._

He slowed down to a trot until he successfully ran behind a wall and emerged in his civvies. Wally West yet again. All alone and _. . .alone._

Stretching his back he decided to take a speed walk to Gotham again. _Haven't been there in half a week_. He muttered to himself, smiling for the benefit of some children and their mother who he'd passed. They smiled back. Wally felt lighter. That was why he still smiled. _Nice reminder_.

Two minutes later he pulled up in front of Megs work place. _Hum, funny how the one girl who was always so oblivious to my flirts likes me so much._ He laughed lightly remembering his younger self constantly flirting with anything that was female and hot. M'gann had been one of them. Until Super Boy took her.

 _Took her and broke her_. He thought bitterly, entering the stuffy café.

His blue eyes scanned the short space for Meg, none? _Huh, wonder where_ -

"She's not here." A sharp voice snapped his attention, "Went out to restock our coffee supply."

Wally looked over at the small framed girl, Mallory, she was a strange thing for sure. Wasn't the warm, getting along type, Wally had deduced. She seemed very closed off and . .. _defensive_? He vaguely wondered why, but was nice to her anyway.

"Um, how long does that usually take?" He walked over to where she was lounging in a straight backed chair in front of the register, leafing through a crinkled magazine absently.

"Meh. Depends on if she doesn't get distracted." She shrugged off.

Wally tilted his head and smiled lightly, "Yah? By what? For example."

She shrugged again, "People, cute kids, pretty food? I don't know. She puts waaaay to much interest in . . .sweet things." Mallory wrinkled her nose in a way that looked adorably, but she was clearly expressing disgust.

Wally laughed now, "Well that's Meg for you. Sweet, innocent little-"

"Stop right there West."

 _So she does know my name... sort of_. He mused, she'd never called him anything before. And he'd seen her what? Five times already. He had dropped by last week more then he meant to.

"You should know better'n me just what a lie that is." She straightened and actually looked at him, "It's a cover. And it annoys the crap outta me."

The red headed hero couldn't bit back a laugh, "Why?" He snorted.

She glared at him, "Cuz... it's stupid. Why smile when you clearly have no reason too." She crossed her arms defiantly.

Wally stopped laughing. His blue eyes lost their light. They searched the small, stony girl in front of them. _Why smile when you don't have a reason too_... that, those words seemed to stab him straight through the heart. He could have sworn he'd heard those words somewhere else... no, not heard, he'd thought them, a long time ago, to himself, when he was about ready to give up on everything. When he felt the weight of loneliness and loss.

 _When his world had crashed._

 _When everyone had left him to burn out._

"Because." He said, harder then he realized, the girl was eyeing him like he had lost his brain, "Because." He said again, his brain wracking, trying to remember _'because what?'_

His eyes clicked with her light green ones, she didn't move, neither did he, "Because." He said in a soft whisper, "Somebody has to."

The girl seemed to lose her hard front, lose herself in his look. He didn't look away, he watched her face lessen. Then she swallowed and looked down.

"Must take a heck of a lot of guts to do it." She said, quietly, seemingly trying to stare a hole in the counter, "Megs got guts. I won't deny her that. Just makes me uncomfortable is all." Then, obviously she thought she'd said too much, she glared at him, cold front thrown up again, "She's outside now. I got work to do." Then she stomped in the back.

Wally sighed. His tension loosening again. _Damn. What had that been?_

"Hey Wally!" Megs voice chirped him back down to earth.

"Hey Megs. How was your trip and can I just say.. . you're new co-worker really needs to lighten up."

This got laugh out of the young Martian.

 _It made him feel better._

* * *

Ollie stood next to J'hon as the Martian studied the data.

After a few minutes of irritating silence the archer spoke up, "So? Is Bats freaking worth it or not?" He couldn't fight the unsettling feeling he'd been getting lately from these cases.

The Martin shook his head, "If they are indeed as serious as you said Batman made them out to be . . . I hate to say, they don't seem to be living up to that as of now." J'hon stood up, his blue cape fluttering to the floor, "I wonder what is the connection between their thefts."

Arrow shrugged, "I know! That's what I said. But let's face it, these guys are Batman's goons, he'd have figured it out right now. Not us." The archer sighed loudly, "Whatever then, I'll see if Bats kids know anything."

"Don't take this so lightly Arrow, you never know what kind of works is whirling in these kinds of organizations. Especially the ones Batman deals with." J'hon warned.

"Yah, yah, I know. Bat's gets all the off the charts freaks. So what else is new." Ollie said airily before disappearing down the League elevator.

The Martian shook his head and turned back to the screen, "Something's not right here. . . "

* * *

He hadn't meant to brush Martian off. No, he was just trying to think around this unsettling feeling. Truth was, he was scared maskless _. What if these freaks really where off some chart scheme? So what, you've dealt with alien_ invasions, _deadly business meeting, guns firing at you without restraint, and dating Cannery, this shouldn't be anywhere near as hard as any of those. Especially that last one._

 _Yah, I'll figure this out, no sweat I just have too-_

"I'm telling you this is Suspicious! Hawkman's reported the same thing." A slightly accented voice boomed from the neighboring hall.

Arrow didn't hesitate to walk right in and see Zatara glaring at Hal.

The green lantern looked slightly uncomfortable, "Yes well . . . I don't really-Arrow!" He brightened upon seeing the archer, "Um, got anything for me old chum?" He practically begged, fear from the angry magician evident.

Ollie bit back a laugh, "What's the problem Zatara?"

The distinguished show man turned to Arrow, "My daughter has been kidnapped. I've searched everywhere, to no avail. Hawkman says the same with his partner, Hawkgirl. They've just vanished!" He turned back to Hal, "I thought maybe the League could help . . . Hal here says your on a more pressing mission." He finished rather bitterly.

Ollie threw Hal a look, "Um, ok look. We will definitely help. The thing we're on right now is . . . stuck So yah. Come on GL, let's go get the others." He smiled lightly at Zatara, while pushing Hal in an elevator "No worries, we will get to the bottom of all of this!" The doors closed.

"What the Heck Hal!" He turned on the confused GL, "Missing super powered kids now? What's going on?"

"I don't know." Hal scrubbed his face angrily, "Man, who would have thought things would get so weird. No Batman, Superman, Wonder woman! I know we can handle this, but . .. there's something unsettling about the timing of these resent events."

Ollie didn't say anything, he stared out the elevators glass back wall, into space, The endless stars made him feel small and insignificant, reminded him that no matter how big and powerful you were, there was always something bigger and in more control then you thought you were.

Oliver didn't like that feeling.

* * *

 _Blurring shapes. Burning, scorching fire shooting through . . .limbs? Air? Was this air? Where was he? Who was he? What . . . was he?_

 _The blurring shapes melded to a strange red, black and .. yellow. Then, an actual form took place. He knew what it was. Why couldn't he remember? Wait. . . it burned! It burned to remember. Remember? What?_

"Sh _shshshsh..." Came a soothing sound. Something the opposite of what burned through him, calmed the pain... that's all he knew. Unbearable, horrible, scorching pain. Then nothingness..._

* * *

Talia watched as his struggles lessened and he fell back into a mindless sleep. For the past week he'd been like this. The doctors said he was physically perfect. But the spiritual damage and was yet to be healed. If it ever could be.

And that wasn't even taking in consideration the mental and emotional issues that would arise.

This was taking too long. Father wouldn't be please at this boy's lack of development and throw him back into the dirt he'd dug him out of. _No_ , Talia thought, _there had to be a faster way to get this boy up._

"Mistress?"

Talia turned around to see one of her servant maids, "Yes?"

"They said project ANY31 is . . . showing positive signs." The woman looked at the floor in respectful fear.

Talia nodded, "Very well." Then she glided past the feeble servant with a cold air. She'd have to think of something later.

She walked into a different chamber that was lit red. Rows of containment tubs filled with bubbling red liquid and bodies lined this narrow room. Talia walked up to one they were moving for extraction.

Her cold green eyes watched silently as a huge metal claw lifted the tube as if it was a mere vial and put it in a contained tub. Then, one of the scientist pressed a few black and blue buttons. The Tube let out a huge hiss as the top clicked off, then the claw swiftly turned it upside down and lifted away. The body inside and the liquid, came pouring out.

"Bring it in." She commanded in a hiss.

The men obeyed and pressed a button that made the tub slide towards them.

Talia looked in and saw the body of a naked young girl. She almost didn't believe it. They had brought back something which they didn't even know excited. Although it was rather shocking to see it in such a young form. Talia hadn't thought it could be so young.

"Take her to stasis. Have her cleaned, clothed, and fed once she wakes up. Let me know immediately when this is done." With that she turned to give her attention to other things as the men gingerly lifted the living girl out of the tub.

Half way down the dimly lit hall one of her ninja stepped forward out of the shadows.

"Mistress," He hissed, "Young master wishes to see you."

Talia didn't blink, "Away with you." She commanded and headed down a hidden corridor.

 _Perhaps she had more to plan out than she thought._

* * *

"Nightwing. This is crazy!" Barbara glared at the taller hero.

He ignored her.

She bit her lip in disgust, "Fine then. So you convinced that Santa Prisca's back up and running, but that still doesn't explain the crazy Al Ghul ninjas." She crossed her arms to make a point, "And don't you think that something like this would catch Batman's attention?"

Dick kept typing on the bat computer.

" _DICK!"_

"What!?" He turned to glare at her for interrupting.

Tim just sat in the corner, fully costumed except for his mask. He didn't want to be involved.

"Answer me!" She snapped back.

Dick sighed and ran a hand across his face, "No, I don't know what Al Ghul has to do with this, and if Batman knows, which he probably does, he can't do anything about it seeing as he's out of world." He growled, "There, happy."

"No. But at least you answered. So. When do we go?"

Dick glanced at her slightly unsure, "When I say so."

She huffed, "You don't know."

He didn't answer.

Barbara decided, she'd just give him this space. _Just relax_ , she told herself, just let it go. _It's not his fault. Playing the no blaming game was supposed to help_. Babs sighed, "Fine, see you at breakfast." Then with an exhausted sigh she grabbed Tim and dragged him upstairs refusing to look back at Grayson.

Once they were gone Dick let out a frustrated groan, "Damn it. I know Bats has them somewhere." He began tapping furiously through the computer files, "I know he does. Those prints are in here somewhere."

He growled as a firewall popped up. _Dang it. Gotta crack this._

He wanted to know what the other half of this serum was. Why it looked so familiar, and what Al Ghul was doing involved with Bane.

 _It figures Batman would keep files on Al Ghul locked up tight_. Yet another thing that ticked Dick off about his mentor and his Paranoia.

The fire wall clicked off.

Dick's face broke into a smirk. _Nice try Bruce, but we all know I'm better at this than you think._


	6. Chap 6: New Developments

**A/N)Ok I have been gone for like... ever. I apologize. Thanks for all those follows and favoring! Awesome to see so many waiting for my update. Barley had time to breath lately. Today, I squeezed this in between lessons, work and mowing the lawn!**

 **Have fun!**

* * *

 _Bruce . . . Bruce . . . Bruce . ._ .

 _One word. That word_. It was all he said, all he whimpered miserably, before breaking out into another screaming fit, as if something was tearing his soul out all over again. More then once in the past few days Talia had been there. Often she sought to sooth his monstrous screeches. Needless to say he terrified all who dared pass by the room in which he lay. Except her of course. Then he'd just black out again. It had become routine.

It was during one of his mind tearing spasms that Talia was surprised. For the first time in a long while, Talia was actually shocked.

The boy shot up, literally straight up, by his own doing and opened his eyes mid scream.

Talia actually stood up in fear.

His eyes flew frantically around the room. Lost, empty, _terrified_.

"Whe- where am I?" He hissed out before gasping for air, as if speaking hurt horribly.

Talia decided since he had died two years ago, talking was probably a very far off thing to do. And by the looks of it, extremely painful.

"You are in my home." She lied, it wasn't exactly her home, just a place her father had in loan to complete his project, "You are sick. Still recovering, calm yourself." She spoke calmly, her voice level and smooth.

His body was rigid, his breathing irregular. That lost look in his eyes didn't leave. He wasn't completely sane at the moment. Lost, confused, and unable to understand things clearly just yet.

She reached a hand out. He flinched away.

"Come now precious," She said softly, "I won't hurt you. I promise. Here, You've been hurt and unable to awaken for sometime now. Rest." She gently pushed him back into the bed, gentleness a foreign thing to her. But she was trained to be what she wasn't in order to get what she wants.

He didn't relax, like a rock he fell back into the pillow, his eyes flashing everywhere, still lost.

"I'll return when you're in less of a state, don't move, you've had an exhausting . . . _ordeal_." She ordered, then carefully walked out, locking the door behind her.

 _This . . . was an extremely large breakthrough._

* * *

 _Ow. Why does my head hurt so badly?_

Her body was tiff as she came too, it took a second to realize . . . _where am I!_ She looked around frantically, nothing but darkness met her eyes.

 _Oh god! What happened, one minute I was shopping . . .the next- Daddy!_ She gasped out loud and tried to move only to discover her legs were tied.

She managed to sit up, dizziness slammed through her head, she leaned against a wall she didn't know was there, "Ow..." She groaned lightly, "I hope Dad hasn't killed anyone looking for me."

"Who's there!" A hard voice demanded making the girl jump out of her skin.

"Z-Zatanna . . .I-I-I'm a prisoner, are you?" She asked shakily, wondering if she could use her powers.

"Zatanna? It's me, Hawk-Shayera."

This gave her a spark of hope, "No! What are you-we doing here? What happened? Where is here?" She blurted out anxiously.

"I don't know. I was on the way back to the Leagues tower when . . . nothing." Shayera admitted sounding defeated in the dark.

Zatanna sighed, "Yah, same here. What gives?"

Just then a grinding sound of rusty hinges that made her skin crawl to her teeth and the darkness was filled with a dim light that hurt her eyes.

A tall man in a ninja suit walked in and grabbed her roughly, "Hey! Don't you jerks know how to handle a lady!" She hissed as his grip hurt her arm.

Two others grabbed Hawkgirl, she struggled for a moment until one elbowed her stomach making her double in surrender.

"Who are you guys?" Zatanna demanded, "What do you want with u-" She gasped as she was lead into a dimly lit room that looked like a bigger prison. Several other young people in it.

"You will stay here until Master tells us what he want's done with you." The ninja sneered and shoved her and Hawkgirl into the room before slamming it shut in their faces.

Shayera howled and threw herself full force at the heavy door, her wings flinging out in exertion. Zatanna watched her friend punch and kick the door, to no avail.

Then she noticed they were being stared at. Turning she saw several unfamiliar faces looking back.

"Um . .. hi?" She waved sheepishly.

The silent room was only interrupted from Hawkgirls battle cries and the clanging door she was pelting.

Then a pink haired girl stepped forward, "Hi. I'm Kole. That's Joey, his sister, Rose, and that's Gnnark. We're prisoners like you. Who are you?" She had a chirpy voice that didn't see effected by the seriousness of her admission.

Zatanna blinked, "Oh, I'm Zatanna, This is my friend Hawkgirl and nice to meet you. Wish it could have been under better circumstances." She laughed nervously.

Nobody answered.

Zatanna decided the circumstances where a lot worse then she thought.

* * *

Flash yelped as the Ninja tried to decapitate him. He anchored himself and twirled around to make a mini tornado. The ninja must have seen this coming because one threw a bomb pellet at him, causing him to loose footing and fly into the nearest wall, full force. The blow cracked his back and knocked the wind out of him. He fell to his hands and knees, breathing heavily.

 _Out of juice._

The ninja surrounded him, on raised his sword to strike the final blow.

A sound of air slicing and suddenly a loud explosion. Then ninja flew back and landed on the ground, stunned.

Wally gulped in air and looked up. Nightwing was standing on a roof edge in all his stupid glory, an electro stick in either hand, sparking at the ends as he jumped down in front of Flash.

"You-" Wally couldn't finish.

A ninja jumped up and threw his sword at Nightwing, who rounded and blocked the sword with his metal stick sending it into a tree.

That was the only distraction they needed to disappear. Wally looked up. The freaks were gone. Nightwing was still there.

"Here," His voice was emotionless.

Wally could have strangled him, but he took his offered hand instead. Actually letting the fact that his . .. ex? best friend was standing in front of him sink in.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded, trying to catch his energy.

Nightwing didn't answer and turned to leave.

 _Aw, hell no! I haven't seen him in forever and he thinks I'm gonna let him walk away!_

"Dick!" He shouted. Knowing that names in the field was rule that not even late Robin broke.

That got his attention, the dark haired boy whirled around, "What?!"

Wally could feel the Bat glare through his mask. He didn't care.

"What is this? What're you doing here? And why have those freaks been stealing from Stars Lab lately?" He spat out faster than normal.

For a second there, Wally swore he saw his old best friend before he changed back into that jerk ass.

"That's none of your concern Flash." He turned to go.

Wally hissed and threw whatever energy he hadn't wasted into cutting Nightwings walk off, "To heck it isn't!" He spat, "This is my city, what are they doing here? I have more of a right to know then you do!" He jabbed Dick in the chest plate with every word.

"Their Al Ghul minions. That's my business. Now if you'll excuse me." With that he shot his line and smoothly swung to the roof tops.

Wally had half a mind to chase after him and _kill him._

He squashed down the hurt, anger, and just plain ache in his chest and turned to blow some steam. Dick might be a jerk ass, but they'd been friends forever. He hated what's happened to him. He couldn't understand _why_ it even happened. _His parents died, sure it still hurt the guy, but he didn't go all batman over it. Now Jason kicks the bucket . . .what the hecks the difference?!_

 _And who's Al ghul?_

Wally was so busy lost in his own head he didn't realize he'd speed walked to Megs Café. Seems like when he felt down this was where he always went subconsciously or willingly.

He whirled around and entered with his civvies looking and feeling exhausted.

Nobody was in yet, the night shift hadn't started yet. _Good,_ maybe he could talk to Meg now and let off some feelings.

"Hey Wally." Meg chirped, then her face fell, "what happened?"

Wally sighed and sat in a worn stool heavily, "I . . . got in a pretty big and exhausting fight." he propped his head on his hands, "And got my butt saved last minute by Nightwing."

Meg gasped, "What? But isn't he here, in Gotham and-"

"Apparently he had been tracking those guys from before." The red head let out an irritated growl, "Left with out so much as a 'buzz off.'"

Megan sighed and patted his head comfortingly, "I'm sorry Wally. But maybe this is one of those things that we have to except as . . . different."

Wally folded his arms on the counter and buried his head down.

Meg felt bad, "Um, how 'bout some coco to cheer you up!" She tried to lighten him, "I'll be right back." She disappeared into the back.

 _Silence._

Silence that felt suffocating. Wally lifted his head and swallowed. _Why was it suffocating?_ Heat began to rise up his face, anger followed with it. The more he thought about Dick and his _idiotic batman_ acting, and those _freaks_ that nearly did him in, the angrier he got. Wally decided, _it wasn't fair_. He had as much right as Dick to be a hero. _AND a friend_. Though Dick didn't want that. _Whatever. I don't even know what I'm thinking any more_.

His head hurt. His body ached.

He wanted to disappear.

He'd handled a lot of things but maybe they were finally weighing in and wanting to break that mask of a smile he often wore now. _No, let it go. Let it go. I always let it go!_

Meg came back into the room, "Here Wall-" A harsh burst of air was all that answered her.

"Wally?"

* * *

Barbara watched as Robin went through his training routine in the holo-dojo. She was supposed to be keeping track of his stats. Instead her mind whirled backwards, wondering what Dick was up to. The stupid male had been extremely touchy and stoic. More then usual, which was saying something. He refused to let her know about anything. She'd figured he was trying to hack for blue prints and information about Santa Prisca and Al Ghul, but Batman's computer wasn't making it easy.

That's what he'd been doing. But he wouldn't tell her how far he'd gotten, or at least let her help.

A loud crash caught her attention, Tim was upside down against another wall.

"You ok Timmy?" She smiled softly as he rolled to his feet with a groan.

"Yah. Man, I was so close to beating level ten."

"It's ok. You'll get it later. Come on. Let's spar some. Better with a real person anyway." She informed while taking a stance.

Tim Grinned, "Ok. But I'm warning you, I've studied your moves, watch out!"

She laughed, "Give me your best shots Robin."

* * *

Wally kicked the can _hard._

He kicked it again, in tune with his thoughts.

 _I. Hate. This. So. Much! Stupid. Dick. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!_

He kicked the can clear across the street. Some anger going out with it.

 _If it's that big of a deal that he won't tell me._ _Then I'll just have to find out and help anyway_. He thought defiantly. Suddenly a loud crash that didn't come form him caught his attention. Gotham was a _crapped_ up place at night.

He shifted against the wall and peered around the bend.

A thin woman was being cornered by two burly street thugs.

"Hey Babe. Going somewhere?" One leered, reaching for her purse.

Wally moved to step out, but then something made him freeze.

"You had better get your filthy hands off me." The woman said coldly, completely calm.

 _That voice, I swear I've heard it somewhere, but not often_ , he couldn't place it.

The second thug snickered, "Aw, what? Cutie thinks she's tough." The street jerks hands slid towards the woman's hair.

Wally decided this was definitely his cue. _I'll just zip in and out nobody will know what happened._

A yelp stopped him mid step.

The woman had grabbed thug number two's wrist, the freak yelped in pain as she twisted it smoothly and side kicked him into the wall. Sending him crashing into a dumpster. Wally forgot to run in, in shock as he watched the first thug lung at her.

"You little Bitch!" He yelled and snatched her purse roughly out of her grasp and threw a hard punch at her.

In a simple calm movement she bent backward, _ALL the way backwards_ and smoothly flipped from bending back on to her feet, kicking the thug in the chin. He stumbled back then glared at the small female who didn't seem the least bit afraid.

"Give me back my property." She demanded coolly.

"Property this you freak!" He threw a metal pipe from the hard ground straight at her.

Wally barley blinked when a sudden intense flash of pink sparked from the woman's fingers as she aimed it at the pipe. It rusted mid-air into literally nothing.

Wally gapped. _What?_

"I said. Give me my property." _Cold and hard._

The thug visibly shuddered, "What the crud are you?!" His gravely voice sounded fearful in the dark.

"A innocent bystander, now hand it over."

"N-not a chance." _Stupid move,_ "Hey, carl, let's take her out."

Both thugs advanced stupidly towards her, then a flash of pink surrounded the girl, her hair burned into the bright color, Wally gapped as her eyes began to glow menacingly, "I don't have time for this." She hissed out viciously.

A sharp blast escaped her body without so much as a twitch from her and floored the freaks against the gravely ground, the fire escape above seemingly falling on its own on top of them, crushing them with a resounding crash.

Then all at once the color faded, though her pink hair was still there. She smoothly bent over and picked up her purse as if nothing had happened.

Wally had forgotten he was hiding, he fell on one knee, his hand gripping the rough brick wall, until it slipped, grating against it, scraping a layer of skin from his palm. He hissed as he fell forward, his injured hand slapping the rough cold concert.

This caught her attention. She whirled around, her eyes glowing a florescent pink, the diminishing instantly when she saw Wally unsteadily standing, unconsciously rubbing his hand.

Both stared in silence for a dark, suffocating moment.

Then, in a hushed, awed, whisper from Wally's shocked lips broke the thick silence. . .

"Who _are_ you?"


	7. Chap 7: Plans Taking Action

**a/n) Ok sorry for the long wait, Mid-terms, studying has been devouring my soul. I hope this chapter is up to par.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _He'd done it!_

After almost two weeks he'd done it!

Batman's encryption codes and password walls had finally fallen. Dick Grayson was a mark of wonder to those that taught him . . . Of course he would have been if he wasn't snooping in said _'teachers_ ' things using his own methods against him.

Anyway, the planes, and maps and files on Al Ghul were all laid out in front of him. Quickly, feeling too much time had been wasted already, he downloaded what he needed and ran to set up the BatJet. Hopefully Babs and Tim would take a while to find out he'd skipped out without them, he really didn't need a head ach of worrying about them too. Granted, he knew they could handle themselves, scratch that, he knew Babs could handle herself, but that didn't stop him fearing the worst where she was concern. Nobody was going to get hurt under his watch again.

N _ever again._

He would _Not_ let that happen.

"Dick?"

 _Crap._

He stopped mid buckle and looked up to see Barber with a disbelieving look on her face. Timmy just looked dejected.

"What are you doing?!" She demanded loudly.

"I've got to get to Santa Prisca and find out what-"

"Without US!" Her voice rang out, echoing in anger throughout the cave.

Dick almost flinched. A _lmost_.

"Yes. It's too dangerous for me to have to watch your backs. I'm going alone."

"No!"

 _That_ succeeded in making him flinch.

"You pig headed moron! How dare you act like we don't know what we're doing." She looked ready to punch him out, "We've been partners since _you_ were Robin. There is _no way_ you can justify what you just said! You need help! Santa Prisca is no place for a cape to go alone! Have you lost you mind!?"

The dark haired male looked at her steadily. _Barbara Gordon. Babs_ , the girl he'd know since middle school. The girl that stuck by him even after she'd found out he'd been keeping Robin from her. The girl that did everything with him. _His best friend_. And he'd shoved an ax in their long run friendship. In most of his friendships. But Barbara was the only one that had come closer to family then anyone else and the only one that was still here.

He knew he didn't deserve her. Not after the way he'd twisted himself to be towards her. And now, he was pulling the biggest jerk move that even Batman would probably wince at on her.

"Fine. Hop in. We don't have much time."

Neither person said a word as they obeyed.

 _Santa Prisca. Here we come._

* * *

 _It was strange. Even for her._

Her fathers subject, no, Batman's ex-robin, had improved on a miraculous scale. Well, even breathing was considered miraculous seeing as he was dead nigh two and a half weeks ago.

The boy had started coming around more now. He looked around, still with a lost, and troubled expression, but he could speak clearer, breath easier without it seeming like a dagger to the lungs, and his body, still stiff, but less on the ridged side.

Now Talia was being bombarded by questions. He'd maintained full use of his limbs and mental capabilities and he knew something was missing, or to be more precise, _someone. Many someone's_.

She hadn't told Father about his projects extreme advancement. _Not yet_. She wasn't prepared yet.

She was standing in the room, being eyed by his untrusting and unsure look, "Is there something you wish to say." She spoke up, making him flinch slightly. He still wasn't used to voices.

"Are you going to tell me who I am yet?" Came the still slightly raspy voice.

"Yes." _Simple._

The boy stiffened, "What?" He didn't believe her.

"Your name, is . . . Jason Todd, you are seventeen years old, and you have recently awoken from a two and a half year long coma after a horrible accident." She said smoothly, not batting an eyelash at the end.

The boys face contorted in thought, then it smoothed out, "Yah . . . yah, that - that sounds right. But - I keep having dreams, about . . . who's Bruce? Do I know anyone named that?"

She didn't blink, "He was your adoptive father. Dead now. I'm the only one you have left." She lied easily.

He seemed to deflate, "Oh. I thought-"

She quickly walked over to him and patted his hair, "Don't worry _precious,_ I'll take good care of you. Training you for great things."

He looked at her, "Training me? That sounds familiar . . . I-I " He looked to be in sudden flashes of pain he let out a yell grabbing at his head as he fell back into the cushions.

His mind was trying to access a far reaching memory and it was like reaching for an electric volt.

She decided to ease his suffering, "Yes. It should. That's what you were doing before you're accident. You were training to be a warrior of great skill. Now rest. Later I shall take you for an examination."

He stopped screaming and flipped over, shoving his head under the pillow, a few muffled moans came from beneath it.

Talia left.

 _Time to check on the other projects._

* * *

Zatanna stared at the slumping figures in the cell. They looked sick under the dim light, pale and weak. Obviously, she figure she looked like them by now too. These ninja freaks weren't big on feeding their prisoners.

 _Ugh_ , "Shayera, we have to get out of here." She groaned to her friend.

The winged woman sat next to her, the fight out of her for now, "I know that. How? Is the question."

"I don't know. I tried summoning my powers, none. It's like they sucked my will out or something. It's weird since- I don't know . . . it's just weird." The raven haired girl sighed and hugged her scrapped knees, "I miss dad. I wonder what he's doing right now."

"Probably looking for you." Shayera assured, "I don't know about Hawkman though, He probably thinks wherever I am, I can handle it." Her face wrinkled slightly in distaste.

"Yah?" Zatanna smiled lightly, "Dad's probably imagining what horrible fates could have befallen his sweet little girl!" She attempted to laugh in order to lighten the mood.

The sound died on her lips as the door screeched open and a tall, perfect bodied woman walked in. Zatanna had no idea who this woman was, but she sensed a strong hate for her surge up instantly.

"This is the magicians daughter?" The woman stepped in and her cold green eyes fell on Zatanna with disgust, "this a Thanagerian. _Pathetic, mere children_. Oh well, they will do for Father's purpose."

Shayera growled next to the young magician, "What _purpos_ e is that exactly!?" She demanded.

The witch let a faint, sickening smile ghost on her face, "You'll see soon enough." With that she walked out as arrogantly as she had walked in.

Leaving the poor young metas to look at each other in growing dread.

 _Oh god. Somebody help. . ._

* * *

" _Who are you_?" Was the question. Wally couldn't believe there was another meta human standing in front of him, one he'd never met before.

She glared at him, "None of your business, now turn and _leave_." She hissed almost deadly.

Of course he didn't, "No, really. That was amazing. How'd you do that? Where'd you come from? Why are you in Gotham?" Ok, so _maybe_ he was prying too much too soon. But he really wasn't thinking straight by this point, emotional overdose did that to him.

Her eyes flared in a bright pink glow, "I said none of you business! Leave!"

He swallowed, "Um. Ok. See yah then." He slowly backed away from her menacing look, having the odd feeling like he would fall in a hole or something if she kept glaring at him like that.

He turned away and decided to forget about it. . . _No way! That was just too weird to forget_. He had to know where, _who_ . . .

He turned back, one last question on his lips. She was gone.

S _hoot._

 _Wait._ Something white caught his eye before he gave up. He bent down and picked up an drivers license.

He looked at his closely and gaped at what he saw.

 _No. Freakin'. Way._

* * *

The tests all showed positive.

Talia narrowed her eyes as she watched the boy stand in the middle of the room. He was fast, strong, seemingly never had died. She had him in a holographic generating arena. She, along with several other scientists, watched as his muscle memory kicked in.

It astound her. _This shouldn't be possible_. His mental state was still fragile and healing, but his physical state was .. . _unbelievable_. Whatever his mentor had taught him along with whatever he'd learned alone was engraved in his body so well, he didn't need to think. He just _did_.

She watched as he flipped over several flame welding droids and kicked their heads off at the same time.

With a slight smirk, "Take it to level twelve."

The scientist pushed up the knob.

She watched coldly as the boy fell back into a defensive stance, several droids turned into fire breathing hulks. The floor began to fall away and several booby traps activated. She followed his movements as he dodged, flipped, jumped, and, with more ferocity than was necessary, literally _destroy_ three droids in less than two minutes.

 _His fury fueled him._

She sensed it being the main asset of his personality. Also, if she knew the affects of the Lazuras pit, which she did, she knew that it brought forth that main part, ten fold. That might be a snag in this project.

 _Or . . ._

He violently kicked a hole in a droid, sending sparks flying everywhere.

A faint smile of satisfaction crossed her face, _it may be used to her advantage._

* * *

They were all silent as the Bat Jet streaked through the dark clouds over the spanning blue-green waters. Batgirl stared sullenly out the red tinted windows. The silence was heavy, almost choking her. _So maybe her comments were a little over the top, but God!_ She didn't understand why he was acting like she wasn't capable of herself? She'd been at this almost as long as he had. It wasn't like she needed to have her back watched all the time. It made her angry to think that he thought so.

Tim, that was another thing. Sure Timmy had been Robin for almost two years now but he was more intelligence than anything. He wasn't one of the stronger fighters as Robin. That title was still held by . . . _Jason._ Even if he was dead.

 _Dang it_! She grimaced as a lump that hurt to swallow formed in her throat. Why'd she have to go and think about _that kid_? Every time she did, she couldn't _stop_.

The memories that were made in those five short years she'd known him. The pranks, the laughs, the way he'd try to cover up his real feelings, even the fights. The memories were all too vivid, making it seem like he was still here. _Still teasing, fighting, learning. But no, he wasn't._ That realizing thought is what always brought her crashing down.

"Batgirl?"

The red head turned to Tim, he was looking at her with concern seeping through his mask, "Yah?"

"You ok?" He asked softly.

She gave him a faint smile, "Yah, thanks Timmy." She reached out and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "Thanks."

" **Approaching destination**." The GPS system blared out ruining their moment. Batgirl turned to see a rocky island come into view, thick jungle colored it's face. She shuddered to remember this awful place.

"Get ready, mission objective, get i _n_ , get _info,_ get _out_. Simple." Nightwing debriefed, emotionless.

Batgirl scoffed, "Great. Now if only it would be that easy."

 _Nobody disagreed._


	8. Chap 8: Enter and Escape

**A/N)Ok so here's yet another Chapter. I hope you guys like it. I'm coming to the climax soon. I hope you guys let me know. I could really use some encouragement. I'm suffering from depression lately. I don't know why, but writing's the only thing that's even mildly distracting. Your reviews would definitely help cheer me up.**

 **Have Fun.**

* * *

The room was big and empty. It had the bare necessities. Bed, dresser, closet, carpet. Whatever. She didn't know. She didn't know anything. Her mind was blurred, no clear images of anything fit. _It hurt._

She put her pale small hand in front of her. Hands, she had them, five fingers. Toes, hair, mouth, eyes. She knew what she had, she even went so far as to know she was a person, a female. That's what _they_ had told her. She was a human with an unnatural gift. One that _they_ , whoever t _hey_ where, would teach her how to use and control. The world, as _they_ called this place they all resided in, was a cruel, nasty place, where people like her where treated as freaks, monsters, things to be destroyed. She didn't want to be destroyed.

The door opened.

A tall female walked in. She had a different sort of body, but she knew she was a female like herself.

"You." The other female said, looking down at her coldly, "You are project ANY31,"

She nodded slowly, still trying to think about . . . _something._

"Good, I am Talia Al Ghul, your mistress. Do you understand that you have unique abilities?" The older female,Talia, said.

She nodded again.

"Well. Let me see what you can do."

She stood up silently, her mind still blurring empty. What was supposed to be there? Was there supposed to be anything there? She felt empty, unreal, lost.

Her eyes focused dimly on the adjacent wall. Without much concentration she threw out her arm. It morphed, stretch and went splat against the wall. Then without another blink she seemed to melt where she was standing and formed back up into something entirely different.

Talia's face changed ever so slightly as the girl morphed back into her first form.

This ability could be used to her fathers advantage.

"Very good." Talia reached out and patted the girls head, "Very good indeed. You will find a very comfortable place here with those abilities. One thing you must remember." She lifted the girls head from under her chin, sharply, "You must never disobey an order from me. Do you understand." Her voice was smooth and hard.

"Y-yes."

"Excellent. Come. I will introduce you to your training arena." Without waiting for an answer the woman grasped her by the arm and lead her out the room, down a long dim hall way.

The girl blinked rapidly as Talia lead her into a big, caged in room. A few different people were slumping around. Talia frowned.

"Up! All of you!" She commanded angrily.

Almost all of them straightened. All except two. The newer ones, they disobediently stayed at a wall.

"I said." Talia's green eyes narrowed dangerously, "Up. Stand here. Now." Her voice was level and freezing.

The two girls looked at each other, deciding it wasn't worth the fight, they both obeyed reluctantly and stood in front of the woman.

"You wretches are here to be basic training dummies for fathers new warriors." Talia said smoothly, "Obey and fight. That's all you must do, or suffer a punishment far worse then your foolishness can handle." She pushed the small girl forward, "You. Watch. The rest of you, prepare."

With that the woman walked out and left the lost girl with the equally lost prisoners. . .

"Wait." A female with silky black hair spoke out, "Prepare? For what?"

* * *

Tim _hated_ this place.

They'd been here before, and it never ended well. _Every time_. Never ended well. He suppressed a spinal shudder as they crouched and wove in and out of the thick, muggy brush. Whatever Dick thought was here, must be important since this place was avoided as much as possible.

By now, Tim had made mental connections with their case. That ooze, Bane was involved with the Al Ghul's some how, if those Ninja's were anything to think about. He didn't know what they were collaborating on, but whatever it was, maybe . . . maybe it was horrible enough so that they wouldn't actually _live_ through this one.

Somehow whenever those freakish Al Ghuls were involved, things took a turn for _hell_. Things that _shouldn't_ happen, _always_ happened. Tim was a logical thinker. He liked _facts_ , and technology and math homework. Not . . . mystic creepy, supernatural things that were unpredictable, no matter with what precaution you took them on.

"Ok, there's the base." Nigtwings voice came through in a steady whisper, "We'll break in, get what we need, and if possible, stop them."

 _If Possible? Just how big was this case showing to be?_

Tim swallowed. _Don't be afraid. Fear is just a state of mind, it blocks your important senses. Don't let it win_. Tim recited the instructions that his mentor, before he started avoiding him, gave him. _Don't be afraid. If possible, don't feel anything. Emotions in general just block your sense of reasoning._

Tim took a deep breath, _right. Don't feel_. One of the harder things for him to do.

"Robin. Are you listening?" Nightwings voice cut sharply through the younger boys thoughts.

"Oh um, no?"

A loud sigh answered this, "That's what will get you killed. I said, I'll take the security systems, you guys go search in for where they put the shipped ooze."

"Ok." That's all he really had time to say. Nightwing pulled a Batman and just wasn't there anymore.

Robin and Batgirl shared a look.

 _Jerk_.

"Ok Robin. Stay close." Batgirl motioned for him to follow.

"Right. Ok. Um . . .Batgirl?"

"Yah?"

He really didn't want to come off as afraid. But this was _Barbara_ , not Nightwing or Batman, she would understand, "Do you think, um, whatever is going on in there, are we going to make it out ok?"

His stomach felt like a rock hit it when she didn't answer.

* * *

 _Should he do this?_

Maybe this wasn't the best idea, she didn't seem to want him to know. If she did know he knew. . . It had been dark, maybe she didn't know it was him. But he knew it was her. _Ugh! This was getting too complicated_.

He decided.

"Here goes everything." He huffed under his breath, "Just once. If she doesn't answer, fine. No harm no foul."

 _But if she did answer. . ._

He didn't allow himself to think that far.

Running his hand through his red hair, taking a deep breath, he knocked, once. His blue eyes closed tight.

He stood there, in the middle of the bare hallway, waiting, _one heart beat. Two. Three._

The lock of the thin door clicked, the door squeaked opened, one green eye peered through.

It widened and the door slammed shut.

Wally blinked at it.

 _Ok. That was the end of that._

He turned to go, slightly slumping, _what did it matter anyway_? His curiosity sometimes did get the best of him. He didn't really gain anything from this any-

"What do you want."

He stopped mid step and turned, his blue eyes wide. She was standing there, leaning against the door frame, in a short white bath gown, with a suspicious look littering her face.

"I-Um, I . . . you. Here." He turned his head and shoved the ID in her hands, "I found it after you-um . . ." He looked up, unsure of what she might do.

What the _heck_ was he doing here anyway?!

"So it was you." She looked at him steadily, "You were the one that saw."

To his shock, instead of looking angry and defensive, she slumped and looked... afraid? _Afraid? Why? Of what? Of him?_

"Um? Mallory?"

She looked up at him, pleadingly, "Don't-don't tell. Ok, I came here to get away from people and calling me _freak._ I-please."

"I don't want to. I just never thought- it was cool." He finished carefully, "Where'd you come from?"

Now she built up a wall, "Jump City. I came here to start over and, yah. Now you know. I'm not normal. I have freakish abilities in me that shouldn't exist but they do." Now she turned to go back in, "Thanks and all, but, you should go."

Wally opened his mouth to say something, thought better and shrugged, "Sure. Um, Bye."

"Yah." With that she closed the door.

The red headed speedster sighed, maybe approaching her as Wally wasn't the best thing. But approaching her as Flash wouldn't have been very inconspicuous.

 _Hum,_ maybe if he could figure out how, she could put her abilities to good use. _But first,_ he decided, he'd get to know her better. _Then_ , see how to get her to meet Flash.

And who knew, maybe she could be a good friend. He didn't have many of those anymore.

* * *

Zatanna looked at the new arrival.

 _Great, another prisoner. Maybe?_ She wasn't sure anymore. _Maybe she was another assassin in training? Whatever. They needed to get out. Now._

"Shayera," She nodded to her friend.

Hawkgirl acknowledged this with a shift towards the door. Waiting.

Zatanna turned back towards the new comer, "Um, Hi?" She waved.

The girl blinked, seemingly deep in thought, "Hi?" She tilted her head, her short black hair fell to the side.

"My name's Zatanna. You?"

A look of confusion flashed across the girls pretty face, "Name?"

"Yah." Zatanna looked at her funny, "You know, _Name_ , what people call you by."

The girl looked more troubled now, "Oh. I don't think I have one."

Before Zatanna could answer in surprise, a loud scuffle was heard, by the time they turned to see, Hawkgirl had strangled a prison checker and taken the keys.

"Yes!" Zatanna clapped, "Ok, people, follow me, we are getting the heck out of here!"

All, without a moments hesitation, did so.

Except the new nameless girl.

Zatanna turned to her, "Don't you want to come? I'm pretty sure, whatever Talia has you here for isn't going to be good." She reached out, not knowing why she decided to convince this girl to come with, "Come on, you'll be better off coming with us. I promise."

The nameless child seemed to be considering this for a moment. A blank look crossed her face, "Ok." She took Zatanna's outstretched hand, both girls ran out of the room.

A sudden blaring alarm burst through the air. Lights flashed, sirens blared. Zatanna's heart dropped to her stomach.

"Shoot. Run!"

 _They were getting out of here, no matter what._


	9. Chap 9: Shocks and Suprises

**A/N) Ok here's yet another chapter. I hope you guys find it intense and not choppy. Cuz that's what I was going for.**

 **Just a short request before you go on, Can I have at least three reviews for this chapter? I really don't want to sound needy or anything but I really want to know what at least some of you guys think not just one of you guys.**

 **So yah, three review that's all I ask. If you give more, it's more then fine. I'll take them all!;-)**

* * *

"This way, come quickly." Talia walked with graceful speed, leading her fathers project down the hall. His advances had been uncannily fast.

His mind seemed to trouble him less now. Perhaps he realized that trying to think hurt, trying to remember things hurt, so he simply stopped. The discovery of the use of his body seemed to be what he focused on now.

"What exactly do you want me to do now?" He asked, flatly. He seemed to be trying to bit down emotions too. _Perfect assassin material_ , she thought with a slight pleasure. _Perhaps she could keep him after all_. Batman would _never_ know, and the boy would never have any _desire_ to know.

 _Perhaps she didn't need to go on with her plan to-_

The base broke out in a violent screech.

The boy stiffened and instantly held a defensive position, "What-"

Talia watched unamused as her warriors came pouring in and past her.

"Come." She commanded to her fathers project, "We have a change in plans."

Someone was trying to hack into their base. _They would soon regret that decision._

* * *

It was strangely easy.

Nightwing knew he should be on double guard, but getting in and finishing this mess was blinding him. He wanted to find out what Al Ghul was up to. He hadn't told Babs and Tim everything. He knew that sort of thing would backfire, but it was too important and unstable a fact to just spout out.

Slowly he crept into the lab after successfully hacking through and shutting down the camera system.

"Ok, Ghul, let's see what you're up to this time." Quickly he found a computer console, his fingers flashed over it, firewalls jumping up every few minutes trying to stop him from finding what he was looking for.

"Yes." With a slight smirk he slipped in his flash drive, downloaded the info and slipped it into his belt. He'd look at it when they got back. _Hopefully Batgirl and Robin didn't run into any trouble._

His thoughts scattered as sirens began deafening the base.

His heart flipped. **Intruder alert.**

"Shit."

* * *

Robin and Batgirl stayed silent as the made their way through the darkened hallways. _It was silent. Suspiciously silent_ , Batgirl thought worriedly. _Nobody in sight not even a scientist or something._

The continued to crawl through the shadows, coming to a fork in the hall way.

They looked at each other silently. They both split in opposite directions.

Batgirl narrowed her eyes to get used to the dark. Miss calculating her steps she tripped through a door. She gasped and lifted herself up, accidentally pulling at a switch on the wall. The room flashed, lights came on one by one, shining on several strange tubes lining the walls. Batgirl walked forward gingerly.

What she saw almost made her throw up right then and there.

She gasped, clasping her hand over her mouth and stomach.

" _Oh my God_." She choked out, "Their experimenting- on _dead bodies_."

The rotting corpses grinned back at her through the red liquid they were floating in.

"My god." She swallowed hard, "Al Ghuls lost his marbles."

She gasped and jumped back as the entire room suddenly lit up.

"Oh no!"

"Intruder Alert, check the labs!"

Batgirl suddenly had a very high sense of what a trapped mouse must feel like.

* * *

 _Ok, just get in, get info, and get out_. Tim repeated in his head. J _ust get in, get info, and get out_. He took a deep breath, easier said than done. He shifted down the hallway, ignoring the creeping sense of dread that crawled up his spine.

The base suddenly blared to life. Robin gasped and pulled out his staff instantly. Loud footsteps were heard, he turned, sweat dripped down his brow, whatever was coming, he'd be prepared for it.

The footsteps came faster, harder, more, they seemed to multiply. _Oh god, how many were there,_ Nightwing would kill him for going alone, that is, if he survived this.

The first body collided with him, in panic he swung his staff, it hit a hard, unmoving body.

"Gannark! Get him!"

Robin gasped as he was suddenly pulled, clear off the ground, by two huge hands, dangling like a piece of meat in the air.

"Wait! Stop!" A familiar voice yelled out.

Robin swallowed and hung his head upside-down, "Zatanna?!" He gasped out, "What-what are you doing here?"

"No time Boy Wonder, we gotta get everyone out of here before that _witch_ finds out." She motioned to all the rest that Robin hadn't noticed.

'Whoa."

"Yah, let's go!"

The big man put the small boy down, Zatanna grabbed him and they all resumed their running.

"Zatanna? Why-how-" He tried to ask but too many questions swarmed he couldn't get either out.

"Keep moving!" She yelled pulling on.

Robin decided that was the best decision, if they survived, he'd ask all the questions later.

 _Hopefully._

* * *

Nightwing ran, slid around the corner. _Footsteps._

He stopped, crouched down and waited. Five suited ninja ran past, towards where he'd just left. _Good,_ now all he had to do was find Robin and Batgirl _and get the hell out of here._

He rounded the corner and hoped, for the first time in a long while, for the best.

* * *

"The pods are secure." Dr. Benet informed the men with him, "Come, Talia, I mean, mistress, has given us only five minutes." The short man turned heel and almost ran out of the appalling room.

Up above Batgirl let out a sigh of relief and climbed down from behind the horrible tubes.

"I've got to get out of here." She took a deep breath, willing the horrible images to clear from her head. _Got to focus_. She turned a corner, gasped, ran into another body, screamed and kicked out, knocking the opposite body across the hall.

"Di-Nightwing!" She gasped, noticing she'd just floored her would be partner, she quickly ran and helped him up, "Come on! We have to get out of here. They - you don't know what their doing I saw-" Someone else ran through and literally tripped over them both. Barbara swore they were going to _die_.

* * *

Talia climbed up to the steps. The intruders were Batman's brats. She _knew_ this. But that wasn't important now. All that mattered was she get her father and the most important warriors and get out of here. She'd instructed the boy to go into the escape jets with the other ninja while she obtained her Father. Then, this place would be dissolved from the earth, _once and for all._

* * *

Nightwing, Batgirl, and the new body all stood up, forgetting their dire situation.

Batgirl opened her eyes, the other body did the same.

She gasped out, fell into a fighting stance instantly. He was dressed like the ninja here, without a mask.

Nightwing did the same. Neither moved. The ninja, _boy_? he couldn't have been older than them, looked at them, tensed, then threw a sudden punch in Dicks face. This distracted The red head enough to not catch the sharp kick in her side.

The boy stood over them, Nightwing threw himself forward, hands grasping the boys. They pushed against each other.

"Self destruct, initiated in four minutes." A robotic voice blared over the wall speakers.

"Nightwing!" Batgirl yelled, trying to stop him and get out.

Suddenly the boy stopped. His arms went slack.

"N-Nightwing?" He stuttered out feebly, his green eyes widened, then instantly he began screaming, grabbing his head, he crumpled in what seemed like sheer pain. His body curled in on itself as he shrieked out like someone had stuffed him in a fiery pit.

"Nightwing?" Batgirl felt her breath fly out, whether it was from fear or the boys screams she didn't know.

Nightwing swallowed hard, seemingly immobilized by the boys horrible pain for a second.

"Two minutes."

"DICK!"

He snapped out of it. Turning, grabbing Batgirls hand, they both ran for the exit before they were the ones in the fiery pit.

* * *

"Robin!" Hawkgirl called out loudly.

"They didn't get out!" The Boy Wonder looked back at the evacuated building terrified. Batgirl and Nightwing hadn't come out. He had gotten everyone, including an odd girl that seemed extremely lost and torn between staying inside and leaving, out. _But his friends, his family. They hadn't-_

"I have to go get them!" He yelled, throwing himself into a run. Gannark grabbed his small body and held him struggling in place.

"No, um, Robin," A small girl with pink hair soothed him, "You can't it'll-" The building imploded with an earth shattering noise. Robin gasped out and felt his heart drop out of his chest.

"No. . . " He whispered numbly, the flames reflected in his mask covered eyes., "They-"

"Robin!"

The boy wonder gasped and turned around only to be enveloped in a warm and tight embrace of Batgirl, ""Thank god your ok." She hugged him closer.

Tim refused to cry, but he hugged her back just as hard, "W-what happened?" He stuttered out.

"No time Robin. " Nightwing bit out emotionless, "Come on lets get you, all of you . . " his masked eyes roved over the bunch of new faces and two familiar ones, "of this hell. Now."

Nobody waited to be told twice as they all followed Nightwing to the Bat Jet, in hopes, for most of them, that they could forget the horrors of what they'd left behind.

* * *

"Here he is." Her ninja stated, dragging a half conscious boy into their new room, "We just barley salvaged him before the place imploded. I hope, no disrespect mistress, but I hope he was _worth_ the trouble." Her ninja sneered in disgust.

Talia flipped her thick hair over her shoulder and deftly shoved the men out of her room before turning towards the boys slumped form.

He was whimpering in pain and misery.

She reached out and ran her fingers through his dark, slightly discolored hair, "Shshsh, it's all right _precious_." She soothed, "Your all right now-'

His hand snapped up and grasped her by the wrist with uncompressed strength. She frowned at this affront. Believing she should strike him down into obedience if he carried on. That is, until his green eyes flashing fire, burned into her cold ones. He pushed her down, standing up smoothly, breath sharp and aching, an emotionless face staring down at her.

If she didn't feel his hostile intentions she would have been proud of him.

Her plan of self salvation shattered as he uttered the worst words he could.

"Tell me the truth. Tell me! _Who the hell am I?"_


	10. Chap 10: Twisting Horrors

**A/N) Thanks so much guys! Four whole reviews! And one exceptionally long one! Thanks a bunch I love them all. I hope my story continues to live up to your high expectations!**

 **Have fun!**

* * *

"You could have at least warned us kid." Ollie glared at the group of kids in front of him with several other League members.

Nightwing and the rest, mostly unknown kids, looked back, some confused, other sullen. Nightwing stony.

"Warn you for what." He said simply.

Ollie resisted the picture that flashed in his head. _Dang, this kid was heading down Batman lane._ He'd heard, but never actually _saw_ , "Care to tell us what's the jist?"

"Ok, this is what we've gathered. Bane and Al Ghul are collaborating on something. We're not- sure what." Batgirl stood up, taking charge, ignoring Nightwing glare behind her, "We're looking into it, but these kids? I think they should be top priority right now." She turned towards the wavering, seemingly lost group.

"Right." Arrow nodded, "Come on GL let's get 'em figured out. The rest of you should let us know if-"

But the Bat clan kids were gone, including Zatanna and one of the new young people.

"Stupid bat trick." He muttered irritated.

"Come on Arrow, leave them be for now." Hal took his friends attention, "Besides, I'm sure they'll get plenty from Batman once he hears. Best to let them go off for now."

Oliver decided those kids knew more then they were telling. _Dang it Bats! If you'd just give me some conscious space, I wouldn't have to be bothered by it._ His thought ranted in curses as he absently helped Hal lead the young lost people into their jet.

* * *

Dick tapped away at the Bat computer, his mask off to the side, his blue eyes narrowed as he slipped in the disk. Talia may have tried to blacken everything, but this piece of info may prove to be useful. He hoped. He really, _really_ hoped.

As he waited for the information to load onto the decryption files, his mind began to drift to the past 10 hours. He'd been proved right for quite a few things. Talia and her father were up to a genetics project, what they planned to do with it was anybody's guess. They were collaborating with Bane in attempt to bond his chemical serum with their Lazuras pit ooze. Trying to create something supernatural. _Ok, fine_ , Dick figured that much. But what bothered him was that he didn't know what they were using their new found creation on. He hadn't seen any sign of test subjects.

Those new kids, they all looked weird enough, but none seemed out of place, well except that one girl, she looked lost. But according to Zatanna and Hawkgirl those kids were like them, they had their powers before they'd been taken by the Al Ghuls. They were prisoners, and what was either girls guess, they were there to be some kind of dummies, either for training or being used to train _on_.

Nightwing rubbed his eyes tiredly, _Man, when was the last time he'd slept_? He couldn't remember. He did this a lot. When something came up he threw all his body, and mind into it, just so he wouldn't have an unoccupied moment, because if he did he'd start thinking of other things. Things that plagued his mind and made him want to bury himself.

He knew hiding those feeling away wasn't the healthiest thing to do, but . . . facing them hurt just as much, if not more.

"Dick?"

 _And Barbara, there she was, oh god, Babs_. She really had a puzzle to her. Why wouldn't she give up on him. Even after she'd get ticked off, she wouldn't drop him completely. _Heck,_ he didn't deserve that. He knew that. But she gave it to him anyway.

"What?" It came out softer then he thought it would. Different then the usual harshness he'd adopted recently. More like himself. Maybe his body was finally ready to shut down. He'd do this until it did. _It was normal now_.

His gentler tone was not lost on her however and made her advance, "I-need to tell you what I found in there." Her voice lowered, unlike herself, unsure, and . . . _scared_?

Dick turned to look, curiosity and interest banished exhaustion for now, "What?"

She walked up to him, biting her lower lip. Dick remembered that was a sign of nervousness, she was usually only nervous when she had something really big on her mind.

"What they- that serum thing-it . . . what's your theory on it?" She was beating around the bush, he knew it.

With a slight sigh he decided it wasn't worth hiding anymore. Vaguely he wondered when he'd started hiding things from her, "It's some sort of super inducing serum I've figured so far. What I don't know is what their using it for." He ran a hand through his hair as if to push away clouding thoughts.

She looked even more afraid, "Oh God! Dick!" Before he could register what she was saying she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to her.

He hadn't been this close to her in . . . forever. He'd forgotten how comfortable her structure fit against his, "Babs?" For moment he decided to let that ice on his face fall.

He was too tired. Fatigue was over whelming his senses. Her cherry blossom sent was soothing, her skin was soft. He wasn't listening. _What was she saying?_ His eyes drooped.

"Dick!" Barbara's voice flicked through him suddenly. Like a needle in his brain.

"Huh? What?" He shook his head, n _ote to self: Drink more caffeine_.

"Dead bodies. Dick, they are experimenting on _dead bodies._ " She swallowed hard.

Dicks mind flashed awake, "What? How . . . are you serious?" His lethargic brain kicked into panic mode, he subtly pushed Babs away and went back to his computer.

"Did you hear what I just said?" She snapped behind him, her sharp voice cutting into his thoughts.

"Yah, thanks Babs. You can go now." And the ice was back, thick.

He heard her gasp a little, attempt to say something, thought better of it, then her footsteps sounded, walking away and out of the Batcave.

 _Dead people_? He scanned the net for anything that included selling of dead bodies, or dug up graves. _Nothing_. He growled out in frustration, _why dead bodies? What good would a serum do on dead bodies?_ Unless- his fingers flew over the board, harder. _Unless it wasn't a super power inducing thing_. He'd read the molecular plan wrong maybe?

Dead bodies wouldn't be much use . . . _unles_ s- He refused to let himself believe. Al Ghul wasn't that insane? Was he? If he had been Batman, it probably would have made more sense. But he wasn't . . . _at lest not yet._

His mind whirled. Beeping sounded off. The disk was finished downloading. Without giving it another thought. Dick flashed and clicked the file.

Names appeared one after the other. That wasn't what caught his attention. Without a breath he scrolled down quickly, next to every name was a red word that flashed **"Negative"**

 **Negative?** _Negative what?_

He ran a copy search on the first name, "Nash Brawls." his whispered to himself. The computer opened a file on a man, he looked about forty, clean shaved and was wearing an army uniform. Dick gaped, this picture was from the 1900's. World war one. Nash was killed of fever at a base. He was a _dead_ man.

 _Dead bodies_. _They are collecting dead bodies for experimenting on_. Anger bubbled up in his chest, _those monsters_. He searched the next name. **Dead.**

T _he next, and next and next, all said **dead.**_

He scrolled faster down the list of negatives.

Suddenly a slip of green caught his eye. He scrolled back up slowly. The word flashed a green ' **positive'** But that's not what brought his heart and mind crashing into the earth. The name that word was next to was . . .

 **Jason Peter Todd.**

 _His baby brother._

The world began swimming in black. He forgot how to breath.

* * *

"So you have no name? No idea who you are or where you came from before Talia got her hands on you?" Tim sat across from the girl that Zatanna said Talia had thrown at them before they'd escaped.

She seemed scared, and unsure, lost to a point. Timmy didn't know why, but he found her interesting, that, and adorable. Her face was heart shaped, she had big dark eyes, that would probably sparkle if she smiled, a soft skinned features, dark hair that was cut short, it was shiny and black. She couldn't have been older than him.

Plus she needed help.

"Ok. Well, we can't just call you girl or something weird like that." He peeled off his mask showing his soft baby blues, secret identities meant nothing when this girl clearly had no recollection of anything. That and Batman wasn't here to admonish him for it. So it was ok, "Let's see. . . Did she call you anything?"

The girl seemed to scrunch her face up in thought, "Someone called me ANY31 . . . I don't know why or what that is but-"

"ANY31 . . .Well that's impersonal." Tim smiled softly at her. Then fell into contemplating on this.

"ANY . . .ANY, Ann - Anna - Ani . . . Annie? What do you think of Annie Blake?" He rhymed her last name with his. Well it wasn't his fault. He was really tired. Plus, he kind of liked the ring it had.

She looked at him for a moment, "Ok." She spoke soft, her voice didn't raise much. It was sort of soothing.

"Ok Annie. So, I'm Tim, I am thirteen years old and hate Shakespeare-" He realized by her fallen face she didn't understand, "Ok, never mind. My names Tim. Nice to meet you." He outstretched his hand.

She looked at it confused.

"Shake?" He said slowly.

She reached back, he took it gently and shook. Really he should have let go. But his thirteen year old boy self liked the way she felt. He wasn't one for crushes and stuff, never bothered with it. Maybe he just hadn't run into a girl interesting enough. Interesting _and_ cute.

"Aw, that's cute and all Timmy but I think we need to hold up on this stuff." Zatanna came in from the kitchen, her face trying to maintain a small smile.

Barbara stalked in at that moment with an angry growl.

"Babs?" Zatanna looked at the red head worriedly.

"He's impossible!" She yelled out making Annie jump.

"Why?" Tim asked realizing he was still holding Annie's hand, he let it go slowly and turned his attention to the fuming red head.

"I was trying to tell him about what I saw and . . . he just turns away. I don't know how much more of this he's going to throw at us." Barbara growled out and threw herself onto the thick sofa, making Tim bounce in his seat.

"I don't think he realizes what he's doing to us Babs." He spoke out unsure.

Zatanna watched, sadness flashing across her blue eyes, she remembered when they had all been one team. Babs and Dick had been near inseparable. Now . . . so much has changed it barley seemed possible it had only been two years since Jason died. She bit her lip as a fuzzy image of a rough boy flashed in her mind. She hadn't gotten to know him well. Dad didn't let her volunteer for missions so much, over protective and all. She'd met him several times, but not enough to actually know him.

She knew one thing about him though, he had been severely interesting those few times she had talked to him. So unlike Dick in every way. Harsh, snappy, rough, and had no way with words what so ever. He was all physical, where Dick was emotional, he hit, where Dick talked.

But he did have some kind of charm to him that was all his own. She had seen it despite not knowing him well. After he'd died . . . she had felt sort of sick. Wishes to know the boy had crossed her mind. But one couldn't turn back time. Who'd be stupid enough to try.

A loud yell and crashing smash made them all jump.

Tim jumped up instantly, eyes wide, "That came from the Batcave."

Barbara reached for her beeping communicator. It had started the moment after the crash, "Let's check- Yah?" She said into her com.

"Where's Dick." Came a low fear inducing voice.

Babs almost squeaked out in shock, "Um, he's-downstairs, you wanna-"

"BABS!" Timmy came running back up the stairs of the cave. Barbara felt her body stiffen, tension pricked up her neck making her hair stand on end, Zatanna stood next to her, just as tense, both feared the worst as Timmy came bursting in with a horror stricken face.

He breathed hard, "Dick - He -he's gone. . ."

"What!" Came a loud terrifying voice from Barbara's hand.

Tim almost literally shrunk.

"I'll call you back Bat-"

"No! Where is he." Batman's thick voice commanded her silent.

"I- he _was_ downstairs and-" She made her way down, Zatanna, Tim, Alfred, who had been brought by the noise, all marched down. An over turned chair, smashed glass, and blinking computer screen met their sight.

Barbara instantly ran to the computer and tapped vigorously. _He's gone! He's gone. Oh God._ Her mind repeated those words like a broken record. Her heart was beating faster with every click, she didn't know what to expects, or think. Everyone was silent.

"Hang on Batman I think I see what he was studying before he-" a loud gasp rushed from her throat, tears blurred her vision, "Oh my God." She whispered in horror.

"What. What was he looking at." Batman's voice cut her thoughts into pieces.

She shuddered, "What they were doing, experimenting on dead bodies, Bruce-" She whispered brokenly, her knees gave way, tears silently streamed down her face as she fell to the hard cold ground, "One of their test subject was - _Jason Todd_."

The silence was so thick Tim swore they would choke to death.


	11. Chap 11: Broken Hearts

**A/N) Thanks soooo much to those that have stuck with this story this far! The last chapter was intense man, I hope. Anyway here we are, I plan to make this story three or four part, it depends on how far you guys encourage me to go! ;)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **One year later** :

"They should be right under you."

"Roger Batgirl, I see em, me and Annie will handle it from here."

"Be careful."

Barbara disconnected the com link, with a tired sigh she pushed away from the glaring computer screen. _Five night in a row, no sleep. Well, no trying to sleep anyway,_ she barley ever got two hours tops any more. Not since Dick skipped out on them all. She bit her lip and headed up the steps into Wayne manor. Alfred probably had a nice pot of coffee waiting for her long nights.

"Hey Alfred." She greeted wearily.

"I assume that Master Tim and Ms. Annie are close to concluding the wayward robbers." The elderly man surmised as she took a big gulp of pure black coffee.

"Yah. Their small time, nothing too big." She smiled slightly. _If it wasn't, I'd would be with them_. She finished to herself. She didn't want anyone to think that she babied Tim, he was almost fifteen now, but the truth was her greatest fear now was losing yet another close boy. Timmy was her last string to keep from getting cut, and she wasn't going to let that happen.

"I'll see you later Alfie ok," She waved at him, "Let me know if Robin checks in, I'll be back soon." She grabbed her purse and walked down out into the main room, "Bye!" She called pulling the door and shuffling out.

The cold Gotham air struck her face. White gathered in her vision. Barbara sighed, winter in Gotham was her favorite time of year, it always snowed more than anywhere else. It gave her the impression of cool and calm.

It made her think clearly. She hadn't done that in a long while. After Dick had left without so much as anything, something inside her just broke. She'd struggled and cried for weeks, but after realizing that wasn't going to fix anything she gathered herself up and decided to be a strong unbreakable stone for those that where left. Tim, Annie now, Wally, they all mattered more then a boy who'd skip out without a word to anyone. _Not even to her._

That night was severely mind shattering. After recollecting her sight she had scanned the information, Jason Todd was a subject of Al Ghuls mad plan. And what was more he was _positive_ , which she gathered through the disk meant he had come out as successful. She swallowed the thick dryness in her throat, which in some sick insane way might have meant that the boy was somehow alive again. She, or Batman, didn't know what to make of it. Or If they should even _believe it._

It was too insane to be true. Batman had gone bonkers looking into it the moment he got back to earth. Nobody could approach him, or even go into the batcave while he was there, frivolously, feverishly looking for his missing sons. One that could very well be back from the dead.

He'd gone wild searching for anything that would lead them to the Al Ghuls, he'd gone about it so fiercely and viciously, that the League stopped helping, they realized helping Batman only made things worse when they couldn't.

But everything, all that time and energy, all that hurting and suffering, lead to _nothing._

 _Absolutely nothing._

 _Except maybe more pain._

 _Dammit_ , her heart still stabbed just thinking about it. Even if it had been a whole freakin' year!

 _Nothing, just nothing. Absolute zero. Blank, lost_ , they hadn't heard from Dick, or Al Ghuls or anything. _Just, that's it_. It's as if everything had fallen into a black hole and didn't plan to come back out anytime soon.

So she did a sensible thing and decided to stop hoping. _No. She couldn't, she didn't_ , she still hoped, too much, so much, it hurt like hell. But she let those hopes slide during the day, during when the world needed Barbara Gordon second and Batgirl first.

 _It was the sensible thing to do._

At least that's what she kept telling herself.

She sighed loudly as she made her way up through the dimming street and into an apartment building. She semi lived here. Most of her time was spent at Wayne Manor, especially since Batman had dropped in desperation and left off planet. _Again._ He'd been disappearing a lot these past few weeks, more stone stiff then ever now. Next thing they knew the League had told them he and Superman were on a top secret mission to somewhere. They wouldn't tell her. Babs hated when they treated her like she hadn't any experience.

She'd found out of course, secretly hacking into their mainframe, Batman was in some far off planet. That's all she got, the rest was in a different alien language, encrypted by J'hon. She left it at that. Things ran more smoothly when she could take charge without fearing what Batman would think.

For the sake of Timmy she had stuck around, Timmy and Annie. She would have left, vanished, gone to live her life somewhere where there was no Batgirl or Batman or Nightwing or anything. But Timmy was truly alone now and Annie, she'd barley adjusted to them after her rescue. Barbara was suspicious of her lack of knowledge at first, but the girl was so sincere and sweet and lost that she banished those thoughts. Within a year though she'd shaped up nicely and was almost entirely knowledgeable about the world and the way things worked. Of course it helped that Tim simply adored her.

That was mostly why she'd stayed and taken charge. The kids needed a guiding mentor, not one that disappears without a trace and another that couldn't crack a smile or else the world would shatter on its axis. She took it upon herself to be that mentor, that rock of refuge that she knew they needed, what she needed but didn't have.

"Ok, now where is my-aha." She scanned her neat room and grabbed a stack of clothes piled into a duffel bag, "I really should just bring my clothes and leave them at the manor." She sighed before turning to lock her apartment.

 _Back to the dark._

* * *

One more quick patrol and that should do it. Flash sped across Keystone, Star, Central, and took a screeching halt in Gotham, right in front of Meg's little diner.

It was sweet little place now. He grinned at it, Meg had bought the place form her old boss and renovated it nicely, it was still small but not shabby, now it was cozy. Wally had asked her why she kept it going. Her answer? _You have to make a living somehow on this planet. Besides I'd rather do it by doing something I already know how. Cooking._

He took a deep breath, cold crisp air filled his lungs. He felt content after his daily run. It was a rare thing to feel truly content after recent heart aches.

Dicks disappearance had just added salt to his wounds. First he dumped Wally, then he just up in smoke. It took a lot of words from a lot of people to keep the speedster from running around every part of the earth until he found the stupid ex boy wonder.

But after being told that would be a waste of energy on his part, and besides if Dick wanted to be found he would have told someone and- _Ugh!_ Wally shook his head, _no, not now. I won't think about this now._ Every time he did his thoughts just zipped in circles, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't run out of it. It made him feel sick and abandoned. But he wasn't was he? _No, Babs felt the same, Tim too, they all did, but they still had others to care about._ Meg for example, and Annie, _that girl was sweet_. Wally had liked her right off, a little lost maybe but still cute and-

"Hey West."

Wally looked up, "Oh Hey Mallory." Mallory Johnson. There was another aspect in his life that drove him in circles. He _knew_ she wasn't normal. She _knew_ he knew, but somehow they both managed to act like neither _knew anything_ , even though he was dying to get to know more. She was intriguing, different. And maybe a little hostile. But for the past year they barley made any progress, at least to him it felt that way. He'd be friendly and warm, she'd be cold and snarky.

It made him laugh actually.

"How's life?" he grinned lightly, leaning on the counter.

She rolled her green eyes, another intriguing thing since he swore they were really pink, "Your such a dweeb. Life's crap, what else would it be." She straightened from her chair and shoved the magazine away, "You?" She asked nonchalantly leaning her chin on her hand.

"Okay. Just stopped by to check on my favorite girl, Megs . . ." After a weird flicker from the small woman his grin widened, "And maybe you. If you wanna be one of my Favorite girls." He teased.

She instantly straightened and scoffed, _here comes defensive mode,_ "As if, hot shot. Get over yourself. She's in the back, I'll go get her so you can make out or whatever." She snapped and slid out of her chair.

The image that she put into his head made the red headed boy grimace, "Um, Yah, no. Not with sweet Megs." Five years ago he would have jumped at that idea, but that was just his stupid hormones. Now, more controlled, he couldn't imagine doing that to the girl.

"Whatever." Mal threw over her shoulder before shoving her way into the bigger kitchen.

Wally sighed, that girl was a piece of work. Sort of reminded him of . . . Artemis. Not all the way but kind of. Aside for the clear size difference and color difference and basic look all together. Maybe it was the fact that they were both so closed off to him. He vaguely wondered what the blond archer was doing now. More importantly, who was she with now? If she was with anyone that is.

He'd long accepted her leaving as a fact of life he couldn't change. And he wasn't going to lie, that irked him. He'd tried more then once to find her. He did. _Once_. She said she was _moving on._

That had hurt. _Like hell_. But he decided if she wanted to go to a different stage, so would he. Even if it was against his own wishes.

"Never mind she's elbow deep in cookie batter and-yow!" Mallory walked back in, tripped over her magazine that had slipped to the floor and flew towards the counter. Without a second thought, Wally reached out and grabbed her before she could smash her face against the marble counter. She smashed it against his chest instead. At least it was less painful.

"Ow..." She groaned wiggling herself upright.

Wally smirked down at her, his blue eyes flashed bemusedly, "If you wanted a hug you could have asked. I would have complied." He teased coyly.

She gasped and pulled away from him, "Stuff it dork." Her pale face colored anyway, "You're not that cute." She snapped.

" _That_ cute? Wait so I'm at least a _little_ cute to you?" He decided to milk this. He felt pretty good today, that clean run had a pretty nice affect on him, "Admit it. You think I'm cute."

She scoffed at him, "Your full of it you know that." She snapped and turned away, pretending to pick up trash.

Wally thought _she_ was cute.

"You know Mal, you ever going to tell me about your-" Her hand slapped over his mouth instantly, her green eyes turned a dangerous pink.

"Shut up. You don't know anything remember." She hissed, even though she seemed hostile Wally could read her fear in her body.

Pushing her hand off he looked at her calmly, "I know but . . . you got to give me a little credit. I'm not an idiot and besides, I bet you could do a lot of good with those abilities." He finished quietly.

She looked at him, bewilderment flashing in her eyes, "You . . . you don't know what it's like, to be a freak, to be shunned and feared just because . . .your different." She spat the last part angrily, turning away from him.

 _Different_? Wally took in a sharp breath. _Damn girl, if you only knew what difference I've looked past._ He wished he could say that out loud, but that would be too much right now.

"It's ok Mal." He assured, "Tell Megs I'll see her later. Bye." He turned and walked out, slower than normal.

 _Suddenly, he didn't feel so good._


	12. Chap 12: Broken Rule

**A/N) Ok, So I am just gonna skip my excuses and say I am soooooooooo Sorry! You guys have given me some awesome feedback, more then i had hoped for. I thank you extensively. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!**

 **Don't forget to let me know how this story is going so far! Love?Like?Hate? Anything? I'm all ears . . .er, eyes?**

* * *

"That's that. "Robin grinned as Annie tied up the criminals they'd just brushed off.

Annie smiled at him, "I was hoping it would be easy tonight." She stepped closer and took his gloved hand in hers, "It's been really busy lately huh?" Her soft voice soothed his ears.

"Yah. That's ok though. It means we get to spend time in a different way." He pushed her shiny hair away from her face.

She giggled lightly, "Come on let's-" Her eyes widened as she gasped out at something behind him. Tim turned around and looked up, following her vision. Just barley catching a dark figure disappear over another roof top.

"Someone was standing there. . . " Annie spoke out worriedly, "I-"

"Forget it. Come on. Batgirls probably waiting." Tim assured her, shaking it off.

I _t was nothing. Probably just a shadow. Or hey, maybe Batman came back_. He wasn't sure how he liked that thought though.

But a nagging feeling, more like the Bat feeling he'd learned was sparking in him.

They were being watched . . . and he bet diamonds to doughnuts it wasn't a good guy that was doing the watching. . .

* * *

She rubbed a sleepy eye and staggered down stairs. Her hair was usually just lightly frizzy in the morning, but last night had taken a lot out of her. She hadn't bothered to comb it before going to bed. Annie washed her face in her bathroom and let out a yawn. She blinked at her reflection, a sharp faced girl looked back. She smiled at her.

At least she knew who that girl was now. _Mostl_ y. She hadn't let her empty thoughts plague her so much since she'd come to live at Wayne Manor. Instead she filled it with new thoughts and memories. True, she'd wanted to know badly in the beginning, _who was she before_? _Where had she come from_? Those sort of things. But slowly the need to know just seemed to . . . ease away, as if they weren't all that important. As if there really wasn't anything to find out about.

She let out a small breath and slipped out of her night dress, w _hat did it matter anyway._ She was content here. Talia Al Ghul didn't know where she was and the people she'd met while here where nothing like those over in that horrible island lab.

She turned the hot water on. _It didn't matter._ She was certain of a lot of things now, this was what a home was for real.

After a refreshing shower Annie combed her shiny black hair and dressed in a over-sized cotton yellow shirt that reached mid thigh. Then, with a light step, she flitted downstairs into the breakfast nook.

Inside Tim was eating cereal and absently watching the news, he looked positively bored. She thought he was adorable. Timmy gave her odd feelings that she didn't know what they were at first. But after some time she realized he made her feel safe and comfortable. He was sweet and gentle and only wanted the best for her and anybody he knew.

"Good morning all." She smiled at the way Tim's eyes brightened when they saw her.

"Morning Annie. Have a good sleep?" He stood up and moved a chair out for her.

"Yes, how about you Barbara?" Annie looked at the red haired woman she'd grown into adoring like a sister she never had.

"Ok. As good as I can get it," Barbara smiled tiredly, before sipping her coffee and turning her attention back to the boring newscaster.

"Liar." Tim accused, "You never sleep anymore. Honestly Babs your going to fall dead from over exhaustion."

Barbara threw him a half amused look, "Said the little boy that's up reading half the night."

Annie giggled at the boys attempt of a scowl. Just then the news caster blared then cut off.

" _We interrupt this news report to give you an unscheduled report._ " A woman, Mrs. Caster, she was called, broke through, she seemed afraid, " _Last night the police found three dead bodies all bleeding out in alleyways. Bullet holes were mercilessly punctured through their heads and chests. The faces, however were still intact enough for the police to match their identities. These three man are said to be a few of Gotham's top leading drug dealer leaders. Tony Stiller, Bobby(Knuckles) Ink and The throat."_

Annie's eyes widened in shock.

Tim and Barbara, however, seemed unfazed by this.

"Probably another gang fight." She heard Babs mumble while taking a deep drink of her coffee.

 _"Leading witnesses say that they saw what appeared to be a masked man mutilating them, then leaving them to die. An unnamed witness even went as far to say that he thought it was Batman that did it. Commissioner J. Gordon won't give any comment on the accusation but there is one big question flitting in the air of uncertain minded citizens. Are the 'heroes' of our world crossing the line_?'

Coffee went sputtering across the room and splattering all over the TV screen as Barbara choked and coughed, "What-the-heck!" She choked out. Tim patted her back, fear actually crossing his face.

"They think we did it? Oh gosh no." Tim looked at Annie worriedly.

She suddenly felt very small. _What was going to go wrong now?_

"They can't" Barbara spat, "Not after everything. Come on Tim. We're getting to the bottom of this." She growled out, patting the coffee off the screen half minded with a towel before throwing it aside and marching out of the room.

Annie watched as Tim followed the red head obediently. She decided to follow too. Whatever killed those men she had the sick feeling that they should know about it.

* * *

Wally hummed to the song on his car radio, his eyes on the road. He hated driving. T _oo slow._ No matter what speed he went. Listening to music was all he could do to pass something of the tortures time.

Suddenly his song was cut short by an urgent message.

 **"We warn Gotham citizens to stay indoors after dark. There's reports of Capes out for blood on the loose, so don't take any chances.** "

Wally screeched to a road marking halt.

"What?" He glared at his radio. _Blood thirsty capes? They better not be talking about my friends._

" **We knew it would come to this one day**." Tom Bulling's voice came through. Wally hated this guy, he was a sleazy good for nothing talk show host, that spoke nothing but dirt against anyone that wouldn't bend to his will.

" **Give freaks with abnormal abilities the power to believe they can control something then they let it get to their heads. As far as any decent minded person goes, these monsters had better be shot on sight before its too late."**

Wally punched the offending voice. The radio sizzled then died. With an angry hiss he started the car up again and headed for Gotham.

 _Something was up_. And he was going to find out what it was.

* * *

Talia glared at the man stationed in front of her father. A man she loathed to a point where she actually let it show on her smooth face. A disgusting traitorous monster.

She hated how her father let power blind him. His project was terrifyingly successful. Nobody knew about it, not even Batman. But He wouldn't have any of it.

"We have an agreement." Al Ghul spoke darkly to the assassin in front of them.

The traitorous Deathstroke.

The man lifted his masked face, "We do. I'll get your little lost child, in return you give me whatever I require. Simple." With that said he rose and walked out of their base. Talia's green eyes narrowed as they followed him out. Unable to keep her anger at bay she turned on her father.

"Why? We're so close to everything. Why risk it with that devil?" She demanded, "For one Boy!"

Her Father slammed his fist into the table, "Not one boy!" He hissed, "That boy, curse his soul, is a close soul of the Detectives, and if he finds him and realizes our lies . . . _everything,_ our plans, our caution, all will amount to nothing! We have enemies daughter, don't you forget that." With that said he shoved past her and disappeared out of the grand room.

Talia watched him go.

She had to find a way out of this.

 _Before it was too late._

* * *

 _This makes no sense_. Barbara glared at the screen. Nothing, aside from what they heard on the news this morning, said anything about what had happened.

I _t wasn't a cape. It couldn't be_. They all knew the unspoken rule. A rule Batman made law. It just didn't make any sense. _Hmmm . . . definitely a new criminal in Gotham._ But who was he? _What_ was he? Where was he? So many questions, and no answers. It was enough to make her want to throw her chair.

Timmy was in the sparring area with Annie, improving their aim. If she wasn't so wound up she would have thought the way he was instructing her was cute. But right now she was to down in thoughts.

"Ms. Gordon, Mr. west is here to see you." Alfred appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared just as fast. If he was several decades younger that man would be one heck of a crime fighter.

"Babs!" Wally's voice rang through the cave. She sighed, rubbed her head, and went towards him.

"Hey Flash. You rang?" She tried to make light of the situation.

"Don't play that game with me. I invented that game. What's this?" He demanded, showing her the papers.

 _Shoot, it had made the papers! Who the hell was this guy!?_

"Wally, I really don't know. That's what's bugging me." She pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation.

Wally's blue eyes scanned her face as if searching for something else, "You sure. It wasn't- You don't think It's a cape right?"

She gave him a ' _how dare you suggest such a thing_ ' kind of look, "No! Come on Wally, we're all freaks. None of us are that crazy though. Right?" She sounded doubtful suddenly.

 _No. Whoever this was, was just trying to get attention. He wasn't doing anything big. Yet. He just killed a couple of gangsters. What harm is that?_

She cringed to think what Batman would say to her current train of thoughts if he had heard them. _We don't Kill. No matter how horrible the criminal is._

 _Yah. So who was breaking that rule?_


	13. Chap 13: Evaluating the Unknown

**A/N) Ok, sooooo sorry for the Hiatus. School, work and annoying family have been weighing down and burying me with their general irritating-ness and . . . stuff.**

 **But here the next chapter of part two! Trust me i will finish writing this story. . . . unless I die before then, but hey, we all have goals that can be cut short by death!**

 **Well that was ominous and creepy. . .**

 **Shoving that uncomfortable thought aside, I hope you guys like this chappie and continue to supports me like the awesome readers you are!**

 **REVIEW SO I CAN HEAR YOU!**

* * *

Talia stood in the middle of her heavily Arabian style decorated room. Their new hide away was in the heart of Venice, Italy. Batman wouldn't ever suspect. _That's what her father had said._

Her green eyes were narrowed on one of the canoes below. The water scented air blew her dark brown hair over her eyes. _Where are you._ She thought, _Where could you have gone._

She gripped the metal railing of the balcony she was standing on. Jason had left in a fit of rage nearly nine months ago, after a fall out with her father when he questioned the boys mental state. After she'd told him who he was and who he'd known, he'd fallen into an unresponsive mess of fear.

Having his story told to him unlocked horrors in his unstable mind. She'd felt bad for him. But her loyalty to her Father couldn't be compromised. She fed him lies. Told him Batman didn't care he was gone. He'd replaced him easily. She'd shown him pictures of the latest Robin. He looked as if his heart had been stabbed with a saber.

She almost took it back.

 _Almost_.

But she couldn't. Her father had plans and that would ruin them. Now Jason was gone, angry, swearing he wouldn't come back. Even after gathering a bond with her on some level. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she did get attached to the angry broken soul boy.

He was out now. To do what, was a mystery to them. This _terrified_ her father, he was going mad sending out the best bounty hunters to find Jason and bring him back. _They never came back_.

Talia's lips curled up slightly. Her guess was he'd fought them and won. She'd trained him in art of assassination too well perhaps. Now Father was at the end of his rope, sending Deathstroke proved that.

She scowled now.

A tricky plan forming in her mind. Fathers fear was Jason would reconcile with Batman and tell him of his plans. Talia knew better. Jason was unpredictable. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn't. Only way to ensure her fathers slipping sanity was by distracting the Batman from finding any leads to the un-dead boy.

She let a slippery smile touch her lips.

 _She knew just how to do that._

* * *

"How many?" Her voice was sharp and loud in his ear.

Robin flinched. Annie had turned several shades of green next to him. He wanted to look away. _He couldn't_. His eyes took in the vomit worthy scene. He _knew_ it was going to be imprinted in his mind forever.

"Robin! How. _Many_."

He swallowed thickly, "T-ten... I think. The-the body parts are too mutilated and mashed together to tell for sure."

Annie whimpered next to him. _She shouldn't be seeing this_. He thought, it's would weaken her grasp on the goodness of the world . . . _if there was any anymore_. He ignored his negative thoughts and focused on Barbara's deep breathing over the comm.

"Ok. Ok-" She seemed to be trying to find some way to put new orders into words, "Do a final scope and report back. Let me know if you see anything else. Batgirl out."

The comm went dead. _Dead_. . . Tim shuddered. He _hated_ that word.

"Come on Annie," He turned away, police sirens were blaring closer, "Let's get going before someone gets the wrong idea."

She nodded wordlessly and morphed into a bird, she grabbed Robins arms in her talons and carried them off over the dark buildings and into the night.

* * *

"Ugh!" Barbara punched the keyboard in frustration. _Stupid. Stupid,_ STUPID! _Another dead end_. Emphasis on _dead_.

This freak, whoever he was had been terrorizing Gothams . . . villains? For three weeks and they couldn't even get one single _damn_ glimpse of him! _Or her_ . . . whatever it may be. _That's just it!_ She couldn't even figure _that_ out!

She scrubbed her face as if to brush off the tired lines on it, her flaming hair falling over her shoulder like a curtain. Her brain hurt as she literally felt it whirl into over drive. _Ok, fact check._

She ran through what she knew in her analytic mind.

 _1_. The new freak _only_ killed: drug dealer, villains, rapers, ect. No citizens of any innocent nature.

 _2._ His killings were brutal, and he never cleaned after himself, yet left no clues behind

 _3._ Maybe this was in order to scare others. Other villains, maybe? A warning?

 _4._ He liked guns. _Positive._

 _5._ His killings were random, of no pattern except that the victims were all with bad records of some kind.

 _6._ His actions was being milked by the media to smear the cape name. People were afraid of them. The blindly following ones of the media anyway.

7\. Crime rate has fallen.

Barbara growled out. _Ok, there_ , all she knew. Basically all everyone else knew too! Nothing that pointed to _who_ he was, _where_ he was, _what_ he was, or _what_ he wanted. . . _or was up to_. Aside from killing criminals. A least what he looked like! _But no_. They knew _nothing._

Absolutely, _zero. Zilch. Nada_!

Batgirl vaguely played with the thought of maybe calling up Batman and letting him know. Or asking if he already knew . . . _wait. He's off world. Right. No way to contact him._

"Ms. Gordon?" Alfred's accented voice cut her thinking.

"Yah?" She turned in her Bat chair.

"Ms. Zatanna here to see you."

Barbara sighed, "Thanks Alfred."

The dark haired magician popped in, a dejected look on her face. Babs heart twisted. _Crap. What now?_

"Zee are you-" She was cut off mid-sentence as the dark haired girl burst into uncontrolled tears.

"What's wrong?!"

"D-dad!" She gasped out, "He-he's been cursed into another realm. And- I can't find him!"

Barbra wished she could kill herself.

* * *

 _". . . Yet another brutal kill site found in the back of the shipping ports. Rumor has it Batman hasn't been seen lately and seems to be off world. So that might be his alibi to these murders. Question still remains however. If not Batman, than who is responsible? Have his sidekicks gone AWOL without the big bad mans orders? Or, are they following his orders for a new way to ' fix' up Gotham? This reporter will be looking into that. As of now, that's all we have, this is Laura Caster for GCN reporting. Back to you Jim."_

Wally clicked the infuriating TV off and turned back to his coffee.

Gothams' people were getting more and more restless. This new guy, whoever he was, was scaring the trust right out of everyone. Bringing their underlying fears that supers would take over soon to reality.

What bugged Wally was he wasn't even sure if that was this guys aim.

If scaring the crap out of everybody wasn't . . . _than what was?_

"Yo West!"

Wally winced as a flick to his forehead took him out of his thoughts, he rubbed it and looked at the sharp faced woman glaring at him.

"Yah?" He said absently, sipping his coffee, hiding his troubled thoughts.

Mallory huffed at him, "I said, if those supers are doing this they must have gotten tired of being called freaks."

Wally's eyes widened, "You - your not afraid?"

She scoffed, "Hardly, I can take anyone out with one finger snap. . . you _know_ that." She averted her eyes, it was the first time she'd brought up her hidden abilities, "Actually, I think I can relate, you know if that _is_ the reason. Unless they really are just blood thirsty psychos." She shrugged to hide her uneasiness.

Wally's mind whirled. _She was right_. He'd seen her use her powers. Only once. But he knew how deadly they were. Wait a minute. . . _Wait one damn minute!_

"You can help catch whoever's doing this!" He burst out before thinking.

Mal's eyes widened, "Are you crapped up? I can't do that! I'm just a freak with unnatural abilities and-"

"Exactly! Don't you get it? People like you use those to either hurt or help others. You can _help_ , If you want acceptance anyway." He deflated slightly, "Unless you want to be a bad guy."

She looked up at him, narrowing her eyes, "What do you know about these kind of abilities anyway?"

Wally's mouth set in a tight line, "I-"

"Drop it." Her voice was icy enough to cut through him. With that she grabbed his partly empty cup and stomped in the kitchen.

Wally felt the burn. _Ouch._

Maybe it was time for Mallory to meet _The Flash._


	14. Chap 14: What, Where, and Who

**A/N) So this story is pretty much planned out and I know exactly where I'm going with this so updates should be more regular.  
**

 **Hopefully you guys will let me know what you think more often too. I really am liking this story and although I get a bunch of follows and favs', which I am totally grateful for, I still wanna know _why_ you followed or faved, or why you _didn't_ do either. Come on guys, please!**

 **I need to know what you guys think. Am I doing the characters at least semi right? Is the plot interesting, can you tell what the plot even is? What catches you attention? What bores you? Come on, don't be afraid to let me know what you think!**

 **Hope this Chapter is interesting for you.  
**

 **P.S. BTW You guys haven't said anything about Mallory or Annie. Which is interesting. I really would like to know what you guys think of them . . . or where you think they came from.  
**

 **Neither girl is an OC. ;-) They really aren't, see if you can figure out where each comes from. I'd love to see if you guys get it!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Oliver's eyes narrowed behind his mask. He didn't like this. He was staring at a huge screen playing nothing but dizzying static. For the past hour. _No answer_. Not from Superman, _or_ Batman. That was more than a _little_ disturbing. Sure the guys were _way out_ of world but they had the kind of tech that allowed communication across different dimensions. _At least Batman did._

So . . . _why was there no signal?_

It didn't help that Hawkman was MAI and Zataro also decided to pull a disappearing trick. Nobody knew where he went or was, not even his daughter. Things seemed to be pretty calm though on earth, considering that two major super heroes haven't shown for a while. Oliver couldn't shake the feeling that was because somebody was planning something big. _Too big_.

The automatic doors swooshed open behind him. He didn't bother turning around. Still glaring at the screen.

"Ollie?"

 _Dinah. Man,_ now he _had_ to look and let his worries out. She wouldn't let it go if he didn't.

"Yah?"

Maybe she wouldn't catch his down a notch tone.

"What's wrong?"

 _Shit. So much for that_. This woman could tell if even _Batman's_ mood was odd, and considering he was practically a statue and you had to be extremely incredible to tell if he even was feeling anything . . . _that's pretty huge._

"Bats and Sup's aren't answering. Lines either been kill- _shut_ _down_ , or their just in the middle of something _extremely_ dangerous." He wasn't sure which one he preferred.

She sat on the arm rest of the swivel chair he was in. Her back pressed against his biceps, normally he'd be reveling in this but . . . his mind was way off track right now.

She furrowed her brows together as she analyzed the static, "That's funny," She tapped a few keys. _Nothing_.

"This shouldn't happen. Unless their coms have been destroyed . . . " She paused and glanced at him, "Which, seeing as Batman has it in his mask ear and Superman has it under his 'S' symbol . . . can't be destroyed by _survivable_ means."

 _Fuck_.

"Yah. That just gave me a whole new level of comfort, "He growled, "Thanks babe, just what I needed to hear." Usually he wouldn't dare be this snaky with her, but this constant far out worrying wasn't usual for him either so . . .

To his surprise Dinah let it slip, she kissed his temple instead, "Come on, this is Superman and Batman, I'm sure their fine. Besides," She smiled at him lightly, "It's not like you to worry like this."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, _ever since that kid died, Bat's had been on the fritz and off world more,_ and for some reason he'd picked Oliver to be like a substitute guardian for him. That, after three and a half years, can't do anything except build in stress and not there before extra responsibilities. _Like watching over his Bat-brats._

"Bat's is rubbing off on me. I don't know. I'm gonna check in on Gotham, see what's up. Batman would kill me if he knew I haven't done that _regularly_."

She laughed slightly next to him as he reached over and pulled up Gotham's file.

Her laugh died on her throat when the archer practically jumped out of the chair, nearly sending it over board with her on it.

She gasped and read what he read.

 **Gotham City Hero's gone Rogue . . .**

* * *

"The league have any leads?" Barbara asked while handing the young magician a warm cup of cocoa.

She shook her head, "No. They won't bother looking, I asked but they said it's happened before, Dad's probably out to re-connect with his powers." She frowned, "Yah . . . I thought about that. I realized if he was, he would have left something behind to let at _least_ _me_ know."

Babs let her mind study this, as if having a mystery serial killer on the loose that only murdered bad guys wasn't bad enough. Now League members were disappearing. . . Come to think of it. . . it wasn't like Batman to not call in after so long a period of time.

"I don't know if it's connected with your dad's disappearance, but I haven't heard from Bat's either." She closed her eyes to clear out the growing head ache, "Even if he's been incredibly distant, he still calls in once every _three_ months."

Zatana shifted uncomfortably, "Isn't he off world in some secret dimension?"

The red head nodded, "But he's got tech that can connect through that . . . strangely. Hum." She shifted towards the computer and tapped into Batman's emergency contact frequency.

A few heart beats.

 _Nothing._

Barbara's mind whirled in pre-panic before she reined it in with logic, "Probably just. . . a bug." She flipped it off, "So. Any idea where you father might have gone?"

"No. I've tried everything. Contact spells, astro searches. Everything! He's not in on any form. I-I'm scared Babs. I can't stay home alone any more. It - it brings back horrible memories." She shuddered.

Barbara nodded in understanding, "That's ok. I'm sure Alfred won't mind giving you a room here. Not like Bruce is around to counter it. You can bunk here as long as you need to. And I promise," The red head turned back to her screen, "As soon as I figure our little problem, we'll look for your dad."

This got a grateful smile out of the young magician, "Thanks Babs, I hope Tim and Annie don't mind another house mate."

"You kidding!" Tim's voice rang out as he and Annie walked in through the back entrance, "The more the merrier, as they say, welcome in Zatanna." He smile good naturally, if a little weakly.

Babs surmised that murder scene had left the Boy Wonder sickened. He always _did_ have a problem with brutal crimes. _Not like Jason._ . . that boy could look at a bullet shot body without so much as a _twitch_. _Then he'd_ . . . She swallowed and turned back to her screen, refusing to let her thoughts wander any further.

"Glad to hear it. Anything to report?" She said a little harshly, in an attempt to hide her growing hurt.

Robin shook his head, peeling off his mask, "No. Just a couple of extra cops. They were looking around too. Guess Commissioner G's getting suspicious too." He said the last part with a tinge of fear.

Babs understood, if her father started loosing trust in Batman and Clan . . . _things would go to hell._

"Bed time. Alfred's got dinner waiting for you, go up, eat and straight to bed." She instructed sounding like a stern mother.

Timmy swallowed, this didn't go unnoticed by her. He _hated_ going to bed. Especially after a gruesome crime.

"Hey Zee, wanna go up and have Tim familiarize you with the Manor, Its easy to lose your way to the bathroom." She said simply, flicking her eye in a secret message to the girl.

Zatanna caught on and jumped up, "Sure thing. Come on Kids!" Even though they were both verging sixteen, "Let's get me acquainted with my new digs, then we can all eat and you guys can tell me all about this issue that's come up." She lead them out of the cave.

Barbara sighed in relief and let some of her stress show on her face _. Back to the case_. Running her hand through her fiery hair she took a deep breath.

"Ok Batgirl. One thing at a time. Calmly, collectively." She urged herself, "Case one. Find out whose killing criminals."

* * *

Wally was pretty sure he ran on pure _dumb luck_ now.

He wanted to introduce Mallory to Flash.

"Yow!" He skid to a halt, nearly running into a brick wall.

 _But not like this._

He was currently chasing a hot rod with purps who _literally_ just grabbed the girl and zoomed off. At first Flash wondered why she didn't just blow their car. Then he realized, that would probably kill her too. And not that he couldn't catch them waaaaay before, but he was waiting to see where they were headed.

 _Old run down warehouse._

 _Typical gangster hangout._

Flash resisted the urge to roll his eyes. These guys were just your everyday Gotham freaks. He vaguely wondered where Robin and Annie where. . . maybe they finished patrol.

But then, two kids could only be in so many places at once.

Flash crawled up the side of the building and looked into the rotting room. _Smelled of old fish. Yuck._

Mallory was bound, and gagged as they dragged her with a blind fold over her eyes. Rare fury rose up in the speedster, these jerks were _so_ dead.

"'ey, look Zak, we gots a sexy one!" One with a big nose and ratty hair sneered out.

Mallory wasn't struggling. Wally figured she was waiting for the right moment. He wasn't going to let her wait.

Before the obvious head could answer, the Flash lived up to his name and zapped in so fast they never saw what hit them. Wally _almost_ felt bad about it. But the amusement he got from watching their dazed ugly mugs far outweighed his pity.

He literally swooped in and out in three seconds, had all members tied up to the building, grabbed Mal and was half way out down Gotham.

Mallory had a delayed reaction until he put her gently on the ground on her feet.

"Here you go Miss." He said softly, helping her take the scratchy blind fold off. Mallory gasped out when she saw him.

 _What? He wasn't Batman . . . what was wrong?_

"Who- you? I know you . . . "

 _She couldn't!_ No way she could know he was-

"Flash? The Flash?" She stared in disbelief.

 _Phew._ Man, he's been in Gotham too long, its paranoia was getting to him.

"Um. Yah?"

"What're you doing in Gotham?" She looked suspicious now.

 _Whoops. Leave it to Mallory to put suspicion before gratitude._

"Saving you. Your welcome."

This did nothing to ease her look, "Why? How did you-"

"In the neighborhood, saw those freaks, decided to rescue you. That's all. My day job, being the fastest man alive and all."

 _Would she buy it?_

She relaxed. _Phew!_

"Thanks." She said slowly.

"Anytime."

She turned to the building she was put in front of.

"Yah - I - _hey_ -" She stopped and blinked, "How'd you know where I live?" A cold rush of air was her answer.

 _Where Flash stood was just the dark._


	15. Chap 15: Fast for Nothing

**AAAAAAnnnnd cue the loud dramatic entrance music!**

 **Wait! *dodges any potentially dangerous projectiles that may be hurled in her direction***

 **I have a good reason for not updating in like years . . . or months. Give or take.**

 **Here it is.**

 **My life sucks.**

 **There said it. Done. Finished. We all friends again? Good. Great. I'm going to give you two chapter today. And probably tomorrow a chapter then I'll probably give you another one on Wednesday and I'd keep going but I've got a freakin family that drags me outside into the demon world every Thursday then work Friday, Sat. and Sun. so . . . yah. How's three days every week for three weeks sound to you guys?**

 **I hope it makes up for those who have been waiting ever so patiently, and to those who haven't.**

 **Enjooooy!**

 **And I really mean it.**

* * *

"You sure Batgirl?" Robin looked skeptically at the dark building they were staking out from a small ledge in a dark shadow in one of Gotham's more crowded areas.

"No." Her voice came out of the com in his ear after a tired sigh, "Considering this guy's _extremely_ unpredictable, this is the _best_ I've got. Black mask seems to be the only ring leader this guy has yet to _murder_."

The younger hero resisted the shiver down his spine. Yah, only one so far. He wouldn't ever say it out loud bt this whole mystery killer thing was getting into his head and leavening some pretty ugly thoughts behind. Annie must have noticed him tense up because she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Ok. So _if_ we see anything?"

"Wait for back up. This guy's obviously way above normal criminal level. I'm sending Flash over. Stay sharp. Batgirl out."

Tim ignored the slight hurt at the fact that Babs didn't think he could handle this guy. _Sure_ , she was probably saying it for his own safety, but knowing she thought that he'd get hurt dealing with an abnormal crook kind of stung. Even if she _was_ right.

"Robin!" Annie's voice came out in an urgent whisper, "Look!"

Tim barley blinked. Gun shots cracked the darkness, before they could move, at least six hulking body guard burst through several windows, shattering glass and landing with sickening thuds on the ground. Dead. Robin was sure those were pools of blood spreading under them.

Robin's mind shut down. _Which was bad._

"Batgirl we need-" Annie gasped over her com, a gust of wind cut her off.

Flash sped past them and into the building. Neither young hero moved.

Batman would be _so_ disappointed in him if he knew about this deer in headlight moment.

A loud shot killed the silence. Ten seconds later, Tim caught a shadowed figure climbing up the edge of the building. His eyes widened behind his mask.

 _The killer!_

"Quick!" He forgot Barbara's orders, forgot Flash, "Before he gets away!" He shot a grappling hook onto the building, swung across and climbed up quickly, reaching the top on adrenaline.

For some reason he didn't hold out hope that he'd get there in time.

But the shadow was _still_ there, standing on the edge rail. Tim froze, he stared. The figure was tall, and definitely muscled. Definitely a guy. And cape-less.

But . . . _why was he not moving?_ Tim took a step back.

He felt something was off. This guy hadn't been even glimpsed for the past month. _Why was he just standing there?_ Seemed to be staring at the young boy too. Unfortunately he was standing against the moon so the shadows concealed any details Tim might have analyzed. That did nothing to ease Tim's growing fear that the guy was actually. . . _studying_ him. . .? _  
_

"Ok. Who are you?" He bit out uncertainly. _Like that was gonna work. Bad guys never answered that question._

For some odd reason, Tim felt like the guy was _laughing_ at him.

The boy swallowed as the criminal turned his muscled body to the side, Tim caught a glimpse of silver reflecting off the guys belt. What shocked him was when the man flicked two fingers in a jaunty salute at him and actually jumped off the ledge _backwards_.

Annie let out a gasp and stretched out an arm automatically, in an attempt to catch him. Tim ran to the ledge and looked over.

 _Gone._

 _Just like that._

He swallowed his fear. The only person he knew who could do that was _Batman._

 _And Dick._

 _Oh crap._

* * *

Flash groaned, blinking his eyes rapidly. _What hit me?_ His hand went to his head. He felt his hair. In an automatic panic he snapped upright, his mask was gone he was . . . i _n the Batcave?_

Heis bright blue eyes adjusted to the dim lighting in the overall gloomy sanctuary. Barbara's lean form, hunched over the computer, cleared in his vision.

"Babs?" His voice was horse from not being used. _How long had he been out?_

"Pretty long, seven hours actually." Tim appeared next to him, seemingly reading his mind, with a glass of orange juice, "Here."

Wally drank it gratefully.

"So . . ." The small framed boy drawled out, the cave went silent, even Barbara stopped typing to look at him, Annie and Zatanna, where'd she come from?, came walking in too. All looked at him.

 _For what?_

 _Oh . . . Oh yah!_ Now he remembered.

"Black mask is dead." Barbara helped along, "Care to tell us what happened? Timmy says he doesn't _know_ what went on inside, but he did follow the guy up top. Didn't get any clear details, except the fact that he wasn't wearing a cape. Anything you can give us?" _All business._

"Yah," He croaked out blinking back to the scene, "I'd zipped in, goons where already dead. The guy had Black mask in a hold, gun against his neck. He hissed something . . . I don't know for sure, sounded like, _'I'm not Batman_ ,' I don't know." He shook his dizzy head to clear it, "Shot him before I could even blink, saw me, tried to shoot me, somehow . . . . he saw me coming. Knocked me out with a bomb instead. That's it. I blacked out."

"Are you sure?" The young woman prodded on, "Nothing else, no details on costume, looks, anything?"

Wally shook his head dejectedly.

The rest let out a frustrated sigh.

"Aw man. We'll never get _anything_ on him."

"Except that you know he's a _guy_." Zatanna put out, "With guns, and _obvious_ training."

"And," Annie spoke up, "He can disappear like -like _Batman_." She seemed to find this frightening. Wally noticed that those words suddenly made everything seem thick.

Barbara stiffened, "I already told you, there is _no way_ it's Batman, in any sense. And it is definitely _NOT_ Dick. You all know that he's not _that_ crazy . . ." Tim noticed she sounded less sure the second time around.

 _Had Dick gone psycho?_ It was possible in this crazy world. Maybe after he'd left in a fit of terror and rage he'd gone _crazy_! Tim looked at Babs, her face had a fearful look to it. He decided she didn't need his negative possibilities.

"Back to the thinking board." She muttered under her breath, and turned back to the computer.

"Sorry Babs . . ." Wally said apologetically. _Fastest man alive and I still got nothing!_ _Pathetic._

* * *

Talia smirked, satisfied.

She'd just finished sending Batman an encoded message. He'd get it no matter where he was, and it would blow the detective off course. _How could it not?_ Not even Batman could withstand such a reveal of such a huge secret. It would _consume_ him. _Father's plans were as good as safe._

She tapped a pointed nail on the metal desk.

 _Now._ To find a way to keep Deathstroke from finding Jason. Well, to do that _she_ had to find Jason. But she didn't know _where_ he was. He was using her own techniques against her to keep from being traced. _Brilliant boy_. She smiled less maliciously. She wasn't going to let Deathstroke get him.

 _That was a promise._

Even if it meant going _against_ fathers orders.

She had much work to do. Things were progressing faster than they should have. Quickly she stood up in her tight black body suit and headed out of the darkened room.

 _Time to get Batman's surprise ready for transport._

* * *

Wally circulated the city as Flash. _Thinking. Hard._ Central had been extremely quiet. Come to think of it . . . _all_ of the cities had been really quiet. Except for the random disturbances in Gotham. Other than that . . . nobody else seemed to be doing much.

The speedster couldn't help feeling it was like a calm before the storm. Only God knew how long the calm would last. And how terrible the storm would hit.

A scream grabbed his attention. Wally sighed. _So much for calm._ If it wasn't some big time criminal, it was a street thug.

He flashed towards the scream, sure enough, a young woman was being harassed by three men. Geez, how many damsels did he have too-

 _Mallory?_ Was this girl jinxed or something? _This is like the third time she'd been mugged!_

A flash of pink energy flickered from her fingers, the guy holding her crumpled to the ground, groaning. The other two froze. Her eyes flashed pink, a fire hydrant exploded and side KO'ed a guy, the wall behind the last one crumbled.

 _That was that._

Flash stood there, still not believing he'd seen that. _Again._

Mallory smirked in satisfaction and dusted her hands off, turning with a proud look, until her eyes landed on the red clad hero. She gaped.

"Shit." She cursed under her breath, "You did NOT just see that."

He nodded, as stunned as he was the first time he'd seen it.

She seemed to fall angry instantly, "How does this keep happening?! What're the odds! Stupid _bad luck_!" She kicked the wall next to her angrily.

Flash swallowed. This could be the perfect opportunity. Someone like Mallory on the hero side could really help wrap up this psycho killer quickly.

"W-what's your name Ms?" He knew. _Two people, remember._

She glared at him, "Mallory Johnson. Go on, go tell the whole city. So I can get kicked out of this one too!" She let loose, a flicker of pink escaped her fingers and smashed the over head street light.

Wally blinked, "No, No! I . . . I thought you were just another citizen," He ignored her snort, "But you're incredible!" Her hard face dropped for a second, then disbelief popped back up, "You-you could be an awesome hero with the right training. Wanna join my team?" He blurted out the last part.

He swore she was going to flash him with her painful powers. Instead she fell into a dejected stance. Confidence all gone.

"No . . . I can't."

"Why?" He tilted his masked head inquiring gently. _Easy West, don't scare her._

"Because. My powers come from a source of bad luck ok. There, I said it. Nobody's supposed to know."

"I'm flattered."

She scoffed, "Only telling you this so you'll leave me alone. I can't be a hero. I destroy things. Not help things. Your looking for a hero in the wrong place when it comes to me." She had a sad, somewhat yearning look she seemed to be trying to hide.

Wally decided she needed some convincing, "So? Most hero's power destroyed things until they figured out how to use them productively. I used to smash into buildings all the time." He stretched out a hand to her warmly, "Come on, I bet you'd be one of the best."

She looked at him, then his hand, then back at him. She seemed to want to take it . . . _something_ wasn't letting her.

"No," She pulled back, "Sorry Flash . . . I'm Bad luck. Being a hero . . . isn't an option for me." She turned and hurried down the ally.

Wally stared after her.

 _She was wrong_. He knew she could be a hero. Why he suddenly had the urge to prove that to her escaped him. But then, when it came to his feelings. Rationality was never a part of them.

* * *

 **There. If you haven't figured out who Mallory is supposed to be by now I am pretty sure you know now.**

 **Hope this wasn't a let down.**

 **Review here to let me know you still want this story to go on.**

 **On to the next chapter!**


	16. Chap 16: Massive Botch ups

**Next chappie like I promised.**

 **Don't forget to review on that last one then this one.**

 **I am not ashamed to admit I need/want/must have your reviews on everything. So please be nice and et this poor ageing sucker have them ok.**

 **Great, ok.**

 **Enjoy the show!**

* * *

 _She was bored_. That's it there was too it. _Positively bored._ It had been some time now, maybe a week or two since she'd moved into the manor with Tim, Babs and Annie. She was half in depression still, she still felt her fathers absence sorely. And sitting around doing nothing isn't helping ease it.

The bat-kids were _so_ wrapped up in trying to clear their name and catch this mystery freak, she felt useless sitting here just listening and watching. From what she could gather from what _they've_ gathered, he had skill, obviously, since not even _they_ could catch him.

Zatanna let out a sad sigh, pushing her tousled black hair out of her face, she watched Tim come out in his Robin costume. _That costume had seen a lot of things._

"Hey, Timmy, can I come with this time?" She blurted out suddenly.

The younger boy stopped in the middle of adjusting his mask, "Um . . . On patrol?"

She nodded standing up, "Yah, I haven't stopped any baddies in a long time. And . . . I desperately need a distraction from my thoughts."

Barbara walked in at this point catching Timmy's fleeting look in her direction.

"Sure Zee, go ahead. Who knows, maybe you'll be the extra edge we need if you run into mystery killer." The red head smiled lightly, the bags under her eyes getting darker.

Zatanna nodded, "Sure. Thanks." She snapped her fingers, in a puff of smoke her regular clothes disappeared and when the smoke cleared she was standing in her magicians outfit. Of course it was much more flattering than her fathers. Short black shorts, white button up, black tail coat that reached to the back of her see through stocking covered legs.

"Ready?" She smiled at Tim as he stared, adjusting her white wrist gloves.

"Um, yah." The younger boy cleared his throat, "L-let's go." He stuttered turning abruptly away.

Annie giggled at his reddening face, Zatanna smiled, "Cute."

Both girls followed the young Robin out.

"Good luck guys." Barbara called and sat in her control chair.

For some reason an unsettling feeling was bubbling in her gut. And when you're a bat kid that usually means _trouble_.

* * *

The skinny young woman walked down the street. Gotham was incredibly dark at night, even with the street lights flickering on. Mallory learned to ignore it and just kept walking. Her apartment building was so close. _Just need to get there without killing someone._ Mallory let out a frustrated breath. Her conversation with that Flash character replaying itself in her mind for the thousandth time since she'd had it. _'Come on, I bet you'd be one of the best.'_ He'd smiled at her. _Dang it_ , that smile for some reason got stuck in her head.

The way he tilted his head. _Warm, gentle, sincere blue eyes_. She'd seen those eyes somewhere. But for some reason she couldn't place it. The more she thought about it the more it felt like she knew him. A scoff escaped her lips, _yah right. Me. Know a super famous Superhero? That's a laugh._

 _Forget it, he's probably just being a concerned hero or whatever_. She bit her lip feeling that familiar empty feeling she always had. Came from being alone and abandoned all the time. The wind picked up, rustling her brown hair, she shuddered slightly and rubbed her arms. Winter in Gotham was nasty. She hated dealt with it through necessity. She really didn't have a lot of options on places someone like her could live. Besides to some people she could be categorized almost as nasty as Gotham anyway.

Mallory stopped.

 _Footsteps._

She could hear them. Clearly trying to come up undetected, paranoia had taught her that. _Shoot_. She held her breath and continued to walk, how many _times_ has she been mugged already? _Talk about rotten luck_. She bit back a dry humorless laugh. _Right, just my style._

"Hey babe." And there it was.

Honestly she wasn't even pretty, let alone attractive enough for anyone, even a sicko, to rape. She barley even had a butt.

With a tired eye roll she turned to see, not one but _four_ creeps leering at her from the dark. But something was different about these guys. One: they had on creepy Halloween masks and two: . . . those weapons in their hands looked a lot more sophisticated then your average gun.

 _Pffft, whatever_ , she could take them easy, all she had to do was snap her fingers and-

A horrible electric shock shot through her body, freezing her nerves, at the same time making her feel like a rush of fire was squeezing through her. She couldn't move!

"Uh-uh, not this time. We're prepared," The shortest one with a gravely voice tsked at her and purposely ran a dirty hand through her hair. Mallory felt sick and in pain, but she couldn't even move to hurl.

"We actually _know_ what you can do."

 _What! No!_ Her mind screamed, _nobody knows what I can do! I'm not even the same person how . . . who_ . . . her mind took a dark turn, _West_ . . . or that _Flash guy_ -another shock burned through her blood breaking her train of thought. No, it could be anyone. Anyone she'd run from . . . they might have found her after all.

"First, we're gonna have a little fun with ya, then, we'll take you to boss," Shorty sneered at her, his pointy teeth gleaming yellow in the dim light. His hand reached for her jeans. For the first time in a _long_ time, Mallory felt honest _pure terror_ shoot through her. She couldn't do _anything_. Why did they want _her_ for? _How_ did they even know about her!?

"Nice and quick babe." He hissed in her ear, the other three placed themselves around her. Mallory wished to god she could swallow. It ached, burned, _damn it,_ if they took this from her, she really wouldn't have anything left.

His hand violated her by slipping down her legs. A silent tear slid down her face, her heart was the only sound she heard, bashing in her ears. Suddenly a loud silence shattering sound burst through, two seconds later shorty's head blew up blood and he fell to the ground, _dead._

Mal freaked, three more shots. _Guns. They were guns._ She knew that sound anywhere. The other three goons flipped out. Dead in the next second. Dead before they could even run three feet. Mallory started to believe maybe God didn't hate her after all. A loud thud from behind, Mallory still couldn't move, a looming shadow came up engulfing her, the shadow held two guns. _Shit_. Now she was _really_ in for it.

 _Good bye hateful world._

"Hey."

Mal would have shivered if she could feel anything. His voice was low, slightly raspy. Could defiantly rival Batman's creepy factor. But at the same time it sounded . . . young?

"You ok?"

 _What?! Don't tell me this guy's another hero! Ugh, I feel like such a damsel in distress, it's revolting_. He walked clear into her view, the street light seemed to flicker even more. Mal would have gaped if she could. A tall male in a leather jacket and combat boots. That was your regular type of _rebel_. style right there. But what got her was that red helmet. Completely covered his head, and only two whites for his eyes. And those heavy looking guns he'd just slipped back into their holsters.

"Can't talk huh." He sounded so . . . _normal_. _Was this normal? Probably for him_. But something didn't scream _'hero_ ' to her, not like all the others anyway. Definitely not like Flash. _More like . . . what? Wait!_ Mall gasped, discovered she could, her jaw could move now, it was wearing off. _Thank god._

"You-your the guy who's been giving hero's here a bad rep."

He took a step back.

 _Yah, real smart Mal, tick off the guy who's currently heavily armed and you can't do a damn thing besides breath._

"So what?" She heard a smirk, even if she couldn't see it. She began to feel her neck.

"Um . . . th-thanks." She swallowed. _Yes!_ Her throat was _on_!

He stopped.

"That's new."

She swallowed again, this guy was making her nervous, like she was a mouse and he was a tiger. She did _NOT_ like that feeling.

"Do you're self a favor sweetheart." He slipped a hand behind her neck. _Shit, now what!_

She could feel his gloved finger tips push on the nap of her neck.

"Yah? What's that?" She swallowed. This proximity of a really dark stranger was making her head light. Which was weird for her. She _never_ got lightheaded about anything.

Suddenly a sharp pain zapped through her body, she let out a muffled squeak and almost fell to the ground in a crumpled mass of bones, she would have hit the harsh concret face first, if he hadn't caught her and leaned her against the wall.

"Get inside before dark huh. It would save you a _whole_ mess of trouble." With a casual shrug he turned to go and just stepped over the bleeding dead bodies, like it was nothing. Mal decided they really weren't anything. They almost _raped_ her. Why would she care about them. As far as she was concerned dead them meant good for everyone else.

"Um, yah. Ow." She cracked her neck.

He turned one last time, "That'll wear off." With that he grabbed the fire escape above him and lifted himself up effortlessly. Leaving Mal to gingerly walked around the puddles of dark blood.

With a released breath, she pushed her hair back from her face and continued her walk home. Then it hit her. _That guy_ . . . has been _THE_ guy that everybody's been freaking about and _nobody_ has seen! Those that have are always _dead!_

She might be the first and only survivor! And what was _more_. . . _he saved her._

She unlocked her door and slipped inside. _But he kills and_ . . . _no_. She shook her head firmly, she _owed_ him, _maybe not but_ . . .

She decided if somebody who killed could save her than he wasn't all _that_ bad. Those rappers deserved worse than a quick death anyway. Who knew how many others they'd hurt or killed. Besides he was kind of the same as her. Just like she destroyed things with a snap of her fingers, but she wasn't a monster . . . he killed to save her and probably a bunch of others too. _Yah_ , this secret was going to be kept by her.

 _No matter what._

* * *

Zatanna smirked as she placed a booted foot on the thugs stomach and leaned forward putting more pressure on it, "How do you like that?" She kicked the thug away, "Well, yet another thug out and done." She crowed triumphantly, dusting her hands off.

She pushed her com on, "Hey Robin, I took care of the dock issue." She flipped her dark hair over, "How're you two holding up?"

"Peachy!" Robins voice sounded strained, "Just taking down a couple of bigger punks. Annie watch out!" The comm clicked off.

Zatanna winced, _maybe I'd better check up on them. Sure, this was their town but_ . . . she flew up to her previous steak out spot. _Yah, maybe I'll just check on them and-_

A shadow streaked past her. Zatanna's blue eyes flickered over. Her heart stopped. A tall figure rolled to a stop and stood up aiming a . . a _gun!_ The young magician flipped out, he was pointing it at a big fat man that had just gotten out of a dock home.

 _Over her dead body._

With a blasts of energy the girl launched herself up onto the roof silently. Her blue eyes narrowed as she closed in. Tim had been right. He was tall, muscular and _definitely_ not wearing a cape. His back was turned, telling the young magician that he hadn't noticed her presence. She bit her lip and decided this could be turned to her advantage.

Taking in a silent breath, she muttered a spell under her breath and let a blast of light loose from her hands and flew towards the silent arched figure.

 _Yes!_

He back flipped effortlessly off the ledge.

 _No!_

The girl flew forward and looked over. _Damn it!_ She was so close! How did he-

She stopped her thoughts and saw him flip over the fence with one hand. Her eyes widened. This guy really _was_ trained. She set her face in determination. No way was she losing him.

She jumped down from the roof and started after him. She was going to get something out of this if it killed her. He turned a dark corner. Zatanna lost no time and skid around the same bend. Her sharp eyes caught his shadow through the dark as he climbed up a fire escape and onto a fish cannery roof.

 _Gotcha._ The dark haired girl smirked to herself and climbed up after him. If she could just see his face or get his name. _Anything! Babs would be over the moon!_

She popped over. And gasped. His gun clicked. She let out a yell and literally, and ungracefully slammed her body into his as the gun went off with an ear splitting bang. Adrenaline charged through her making her breath come short. She peaked over the edge for a second. The guy he was aiming at had run. Then she was thrown on her back, her head cracked against the concert, stunning her for a minute.

Her eyes widened. His gun clicked again. She froze. He was gonna shoot her! Zatanna had been shot at before, but never at such a close proximity.

"You- Who are you?" She hated how her voice shook a little. Why was this guy, out of all the freaks and creeps she's beaten up, make her feel . . . _actually afraid._

His gun lowered, she looked up. Her mouth falling, his head was completely encased in a red helmet, except for the whites that were where his eyes were. _Wow, talk about taking secret identities to an extreme._ Not even _Batman_ covered his whole face. And he was the _king_ of paranoia.

He cocked said helmet head to the side a little. Then her heart stabbed, the spell she was gathering in her mind scattered as he lowered himself into a hunched position on his feet in front of her, slipping the gun under her chin and forcing her head up. He was close. _Way too close._ His helmet covered face was creepy up close. She resisted the urge to shiver.

 _Oh god Zee. You are an idiot._

She couldn't see his face. But she had the uncomfortable feeling he was mocking her. His body angle spoke volumes. He wasn't concerned about her being here or seeing him. This might even be _funny_ to him. _Who the hell is he?!_

"Now, if I wanted you to know that. I wouldn't be wearing a mask." He _was_ Mocking her. His voice came through slightly distorted but she could still tell, it was a young voice, he couldn't be more than twenty.

"I-"

"Stay out of my way if you wanna keep that pretty little face bullet free. _Otherwise_ . . ." He leaned closer, " _I warned you_." Then he shoved her aside, stood up, and turned to leave.

Zatanna felt anger suddenly burn inside her. He was threatening her. Like she would step down like that. With a frustrated growl she launched herself at him and let loose a blast of air almost knocking him over the roof.

He deftly flipped over and regained his balance.

"Hum. Nice. _Daddy_ taught you well, _before_ he abandoned you anyway." He was taunting?

The girl froze mid attack- _how did he_ -, Her fathers face flashed in front of her eyes, the hurt rushed back. She felt the fight sucked right out of her.

"Aw. What's the matter? Someone _miss_ her old Man." He actually let out a dark chuckle. This taunting was way to familiarized. It hurt more. Twisted in her gut and boiled up.

Zatanna screamed and lost her composer, "Who the heck are you!" She aimed punches, kicks, light bolts, anything her blurred mind conjured at the moment at him. He dodged them all like a freaking ballerina!

He caught one of her oncoming fists and slammed her into the floor. She felt her arm crack painfully. Pain clouded her anger. She just wanted to disappear, but her energy was sucked out as he put some of his weight on her.

"I said. Stay _out_ of my _way_." He tossed her aside and walked toward the edge of the roof, "Oh. And by the way. Tell Batgirl, I said _Hi_."

He flipped over and disappeared.

The magician groaned in pain and at her stupidity. She stood up wobbly, her arm shooting burning pain, tears pricked her eyes. The pain crawled through her entire upper body.

 _Zatanna. Your an idiot_. She swallowed, her com buzzed in her ear.

"Y-yah?" She tried to clear her throat to keep any suspicion off of her."Zee? Where are you? Patrol's over, aren't you coming back to the manor?" Tim's voice asked, concern lacing it.

She nodded before remembering he couldn't see her, "Yah. I'll meet you there in fi - ten." It would probably take her longer with her busted arm. With a shaky breath she turned and walked towards towards the edge before floating with what little energy she had left down to the ground.

She _really_ messed up. It wasn't like her to mess up. Why didn't she just call for backup? Or let it go, or maybe even just follow the guy to his hide out? Anything would have been smarter than confronting him alone . . . like an _amateur_. She bit her lip. Maybe it wasn't a total loss, he obviously knew something about her . . and why _Batgirl?_ He had a red helmet for a mask and wore a bikers jacket. Plus he liked guns. _That_ _everyone_ was certain of.

Maybe Babs wouldn't kill her if she brought forth this info?

 _One could only hope. . ._

* * *

Talia waited, sitting cross legged in a chair, staring at a buzzing screen. She'd sent that encrypted message a few days ago. Knowing her _beloved_ he would have figured it out by now.

 _So why wasn't he contacting her?_ She smirked to herself, he probably _knew_ that's what she wanted. _Brilliant man. He lived up to his name._

 _But_ , that message was too overwhelming to _not_ answer. _Even for the Batman._

The screen beeped red.

A slippery smile spread on the usually stone faced woman. She _knew_ he'd give in.

 _Batman or not, he was still human . . . for the most part._

She gracefully answered the call, the masked man appeared with his usual stoic face.

"Well. It took you long enough my-"

"What do you _want_." He cut to the point, harsh and emotionless as ever.

The woman almost smiled at him. _Almost_. She let a devious smirk cross her face instead, "I don't _want_ anything. I already told you, I have something for you. Now, will you be accepting it or not?"

"I'm not playing your game Talia." A loud crash came from behind the masked man. He didn't shift. Someone called his name.

Talia knew he was on a mission. _Hum . . . perhaps he's even more caught up in her plot than she though._ But then . . . the man had a way of turning plans against her.

"Neither am I. We'll meet on The third island, you know where."

"Be that way." He grouched stoically, "If this is another Al Ghul trick. You know I'll find out."

"Understood."

"Don't call again." And he snapped the com off right as someone burst through the wall behind him.

Talia sat there for a moment in the dark room. A grin the rest of the world wasn't allowed to see turned her lips.

 _Oh, I have no doubt you'll figure it out Beloved._

 _But by then . . . it'll be too late._

 _Now_. For the Jason problem.

* * *

 _Ok. Ok. This is bad. Definitely bad. Oh god, if Bat's ever hears about this! I am sooo dead._

The green clad archer frantically tapped at the JL Main computer. Report after report showed, and talked about how Gothams hero's have gone _crazy_. The archer winced at the particularly gruesome picture a reported snapped before the police kicked them out of the scene.

 _Who the hell's messing with Gothams criminals?_

Ollie let out a sigh that made him sound ancient. _Too much stress._ Sure, that came with the territory of being a hero. But watching another hero's city and failing at it took a toll on even the best. Especially when said other heroes city is freakin' _Batman's_ and he's the man who doesn't trust anyone except his _butler_ _guy_ completely. Giving Gotham to another hero is a _huge_ deal.

 _And I botched it up!_

 _Fuck everything._ He grimaced and clicked the angering report off. Batgirl's probably going to _die_ of stress if he didn't do _something_. There was only so much three kids could do.

"Ok, new priority find out who-"

The computer blared alive scaring the man out of his chair with a rather unmanly squeak. He popped back up, clearing his throat and nearly fainted when he saw what was glaring at him through the screen. A, granted very fuzzy, Batman.

"Hey Ollie? You ok-Whoa!" Green lantern walked in at that moment and nearly caved when he saw the Bat glaring daggers at them.

"B-bats? How's it? Your _alive_? Great. Mission complete? You had me worried for a while. So-when you coming back?" Ollie rattled on nervously. _Please tell me he hasn't heard._

"Go to Rito Island in the middle of the Pacific ocean. Here are the coordinates. Get the package Talia Al-Ghul will have waiting for you and deliver it to Alfred." He cut crisply, ignoring the fighting Archers confused expression.

"What? Dude, we just barley found out your still breathing and this is-"

"We're fine. Mission will take longer than expected. _Get. That. Package_. Contact you soon. Batman _out_." And just like that, the man of stone clicked off, leaving two green clad heroes flabbergasted.

"Wait. . . that's just-" Oliver's anger rose, his face coloring. _Stupid Bat_. Thinks he owned the world! _After everything I've put up for his stupid City, now I have to be his delivery boy too!_

"You heard the man. Guess there's no messing with this. Guess you gotta go?" GL looked confused but resigned. He'd accepted Batmans sometimes overbearing bossiness.

Ollie let out a huff, " _Guess_ I do. Wait-" He screeched to a halt and whirled around with wide eyes, "Did he say _Talia Al Ghul?"_

"Um, yah?''

 _Oh crap._ He was so gonna _die_ for this.

* * *

 **Ok there we are. All good. Not good? Ok. So yah climax rising soon. Poor Ollie. Poor Bat kids. Poor whoever I'm gonna harm next . . .**

 **Let me know what you thought about this one.**

 **And the other Chapter.**

 **Two very important Chapters.**

 **More important stuff revealed tomorrow**

 **Peace, Love, And Batman!**


	17. Chap 17: Disbelief and Broken Glass

**Chapter 17 people! Enjoy because this is one heck of a chapter . . . I hope it achieves what I was aiming for.**

 **The only way I can know is if you tell me sooooo, take a break from studying and submit me a nice rant!**

 **I took a break to write this ;-P**

 **Your turn.**

* * *

". . .And I really, _really,_ think she'd be an _awesome_ hero. But . . . I have no idea how to convince her. I can't as Wally because she can't relate to me as a normal person. And it would be weird as Flash. . . you know how _that_ would probably turn out. Either way, she'd probably find out my identity." Wally was currently pacing back and forth in front of Barbara, ranting, flailing his arms around, in his red suit, his mask pulled off.

The red headed girl sighed, "Wally, If this girl really has supernatural abilities like that, she'd be great for our team. No mistaking that. But if she's as closed off and unstable as you've describe . . . maybe it's best to just let her hide it."

She really had more important things to worry about. _Like a psycho killer on the loose_. Ever since Zatanna had come back, bruised _and_ with a dislocated arm Batgirl felt her radar go off. _Sure_ , she'd yelled at Zee for a good half hour, while Tim and Annie shrunk away in fear.

But then the young magician had blurted out what the man had _said_ to her, and what his outfit looked like. That calmed the red head down in ways of _'finally I have something to go on'_ until her paranoia spiked and put her in' _oh my god. Who is this guy and how does he know what he knows?_ ' Plus, now even _more_ questions plagued her mind.

Like how much _more_ could this guy know. _Where_ did he come from? _What if he was working for the al Ghuls?_ That one flitted across her mind on it's own, she didn't know why. But the Al-Ghuls _were_ the only ones who knew the most about Batman and Co. He _could_ be - she had the sick feeling the answer was right on the tip of her brain. But something was blocking it from coming into clear view.

It was bothering the heck out of her. But that wasn't going to stop her from formulating some kind of plan to get her answers physically. _Ugh. If Batman was here he'd be so disappointing, or disgusted, that we've let this nut run around for so long . . ._

Maybe that's why she was listening to Wally. She needed something unimportant in the ways of this case to clear her scattering trains of thought.

". . .You know? She just - I don't know why, but I want her to know this me." Wally was looking at her with big blue eyes now, practically _begging_ for advice.

"You _like_ her?" She raised an eyebrow at him. This was _interesting_. Wally hadn't liked anyone since Artemis left him. Maybe there was more to this Mallory girl than she thought. _Maybe I could meet her sometime._ She thought absently.

"I - yah, I guess I do. Sorta. She's really hard and kinda - I think that's what makes her interesting, to me anyway." He looked at his shoes in contemplation.

Babs allowed a smile to cross her tired face, "Tell you what. Let's wrap up this mess and then I'll help you with you _'Mallory'_ problem. Ok?"

He nodded, "Sure Babs. Now, what happened to Zatanna?"

* * *

Tim was sitting rigidly in the Bruce's recliner, watching Annie brush her hair, and Zatanna slump miserly into the couch. Looking out into the dark wet world. It had started to storm a few minutes before. But the young boys mind wasn't on the rain. _Or either girl_. It was on what Babs was thinking down below and what Zatanna had told them.

He knew he shouldn't let it fester. _Babs would listen_. She wasn't _Batman_ or anything like that. She would understand and discuss. But for some reason the Robin couldn't shake the feeling that they were in _way over_ their heads. His mind was constantly thinking, wondering, analyzing _who the heck could that guy be._

"If I'd just told you guys, " Zatanna's voice crashed his thoughts making him look up at the muttering girl as she gazed at him with sad, guilty eyes, "I'm really sorry I messed up so bad Tim."

He looked at her for a minute, "No. You didn't. I did the same thing. Except I didn't get beat up. But that's ok Zee, Babs isn't angry at you. You found valuable info, as little as it was, it's still more than we've ever had on the guy. Better than me." He shrugged nonchalantly, although his own words hurt him. _Why was everyone better than him?_

He'd never measure up to the first _or_ second Robin. . . but why couldn't he be his _own_ great hero either? No wonder Batman lost interest in him.

He felt his bandaged heart crack a little.

"The things he said . . . ' _Tell Batgirl I said Hi_ '? That sounded like he was _familiar_ with you guys, well, _her_ anyway. And I don't wanna scare you or anything but, I swear I've talked to him before. Like actually _talked_ to him." She fell silent seeing Tim go into a retreat in his brain as his eyes glazed over in thought.

 _'He sounds like someone I've talked to before' ,_ Timmy's brain whirled, he previous suspicions where coming back strong and _scary_.

But he couldn't bring himself to think it, believe it - it wasn't . . .

"You don't think - what if it-" He flicked his tongue over his dry lips, "It's Dick." Those words came out as more of a statement than Tim realized.

Annie actually _dropped_ her comb. Zatanna looked at him suddenly, sharply, fear scratched her face.

"Tim . . . No." She breathed quietly, as if saying anything any louder would confirm the boys words.

Annie slipped into the recliner with him, "Don't _say_ that. I don't know Dick like you guys but . . . from what you've told me, he's your _hero_. You don't think someone as incredible as him would ever-"

"I know. That's what's scaring the _crud_ out of me." Tim squeezed his eyes shut, trying to make the horrible thought go away, "Cuz _'what if's'_ are eating me alive."

Annie wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him closer, Tim relaxed slightly, her face pressed against his cheek, calmed him, "It's ok. We all have doubts. Just don't go crazy on an assumption. He may not be around anymore, but I think he's still your big brother."

Tim smiled a little, if only he could let that settle his mind. But the recent memories of Dick he had weren't very fond ones.

"Thanks Annie."

"You guys are cute." Zatanna gave the blushing boy a smile, "Don't worry Tim. Your allowed to like a girl. Your almost sixteen for god's sake!"

Tim cleared his throat as Annie giggled and pulled her face away from his, "Cut it out. Important worries to think about. _Remember_?"

"Don't sweat it Tim. Babs will figure out a plan, then we'll all get into action and catch this crazy. You'll see." Now she was forcing optimism on them.

Tim resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

 _If only this dark, hateful world was that predictable._

* * *

Green Arrow cursed under his breath. Stupid, stupid, _stupid._ He _knew_ he should have brought someone with him! Listening to Batman was going to get him _killed_ someday.

He dodged a flying sword.

 _If not today._

All he'd done was follow the mans directions, landed on this _god forsaken_ rock and was attacked by at least fifty men in black Pj's and very _sharp_ swords.

Now he was running, shooting, and dodging for his life.

"Hey guys! Cut it _out_!" He shot a bomb arrow at a couple of the Ninja's feet. It exploded sending several sprawling on the ground.

One jumped and threw several, deadly aimed shurakins at the blond man.

"Whoa! Hey, I like my beard, I don't need a shave. I'm not here to _fight_!" He flipped over and netted a few with a compact net arrow.

"Does anyone have _ears_ here! I was sent by the _freakin'_ Batman!" He was getting frustrated. A dagger nicked his neck, a trickle of blood slid down it, he grimaced at the sting, "Guess not."

One kicked his knees, The archer lost balance, dropped his arrow and bow and fell backwards. They all pounced on him like piranha. _This is the last time I listen to Batman._

The aimed their sword downwards, pinning the man down.

"Um . . . I come in peace?" He chuckled feebly. _Killed by ninjas . . . at least that's not a lame way to go_ . . .

The sword came plunging down. Ollie cringed waiting to feel a hundred burning stabs.

"STOP!"

Everything froze. The archer opened one eye and gaped, the swords points were literally half an inch from his body and face.

"Talk about _cutting_ it close." He huffed angrily.

"Disperse." The voice commanded.

The ninja complied instantly and seemingly melted away. Ollie pushed himself up and dusted the sand of his costume. He cleared his throat, hoping to regain some form of composer and turned to see a lethal looking woman with burning green eyes glaring icily at him.

"What do _you_ want." She demanded calmly, but dangerously at the same time.

"Um, nothing? Look, Bats sent me here, said to pick something up for him - are you _Talia_?" He really just wanted to be home in bed at the moment as the lady looked at him with narrowed eyes.

After a flicker of a murderous look, her face cleared.

"Ah. I see. Well then, it doesn't matter who brings it to him. I suppose. _Either_ way. . ." She turned away from the confused archer and stretched out a hand, with one finger she beckoned to the shadows.

Green Arrow watched in a mixture of tingly fear and confusion as somebody walked into the light.

Suddenly he found himself looking down into a second pair of icy eyes.

"This is his _package_." The woman put a hand on the mini Ninja, she pulled off it's mask.

Ollie choked. _It was a ten year old kid!_

"Wha-is this a _joke_?" He honestly thought it _was_.

The 'joke' as he called it flashed out a sword, jumped ten feet in the air and drop kicked the older man to the ground.

The archer gasped, the wind having been knocked out of him as he sat up, rubbing his chest.

"I assure you. I am not a _Joke_."

"Take him to Batman. Tell him this is what I've given to him. He knows why." The woman snapped her fingers, her ninja appeared surrounding the now terrified archer, "And no funny business."

He nodded wordlessly. Eyes still not believing what he was looking at.

"Good." She bent over, said something to the kid and walked away into the shadows without looking back.

Ollie stared into space, dazed for a minute.

"Well-"

"Yow!" The archer jumped in an undignified way. He looked down, the kid looked at him with an unimpressed look on his sharp little face.

"Take me to Wayne manor."

"Holy -" Green Arrow choked on air.

He watched the kid in shock as he entered the jet Ollie had flown here in like a little diva.

 _Oh God._

 _Bat's was Gonna flip. The hell. Out._

* * *

"All right Guys." Barbara walked into the room where the other three were literally hanging around the couches in a dull stupor, with an air of finality and assurance about her.

Tim straightened a little, eyes widening, "B-Babs? Are you-"

"Bringing out _Batgirl_!" Zatanna jumped up, her friend hadn't worn the costume in almost a year. She'd always been too busy doing the desk and detective part of the job.

The red head smiled, her tired face pale, "Yep. I've decided that I'm gonna go with you guys on patrol this time. I think, if my plan plays right, we can corner the guy and finally catch him. I mean _come on_! We know Gotham better than anyone. There's no way he could-"

Alfred came hurriedly from the kitchen, milk stained his usually immaculate uniform. Everyone turned and stood up, he actually looked fearful! Alfred never let anything fray him? _He_ raised the _freaking_ Batman! So why was he-

"Pardon me Ms. Gordon, Master Tim . . . But There seems to be someone outside." He said, his British accent clipped, his grey eyes flickered towards the huge glass curtained window behind them.

Barbara's heart skid, _why did this freak her out?_

"Uh- ok?" Tim looked unsure about what to say.

"Is that _bad_ Alfred?" Annie asked, her big brown eyes widened double their size.

"I am not sure, perhaps you all should-"

The window smashed in the middle of his sentence.

Zatanna screamed. Tim and Annie froze. Barbara choked on air as she moved to shield them all form the flying bits of glass.

Her eyes popped out of her head as two bodies landed with sickening thuds onto the living room floor. They rolled and punched viciously, curses blurred the air, Tables flipped, vases smashed, Zatanna blasted something with a light beam. Annie fell backwards as the rug was yanked out from under them, Tim yelled and threw a bird-a-rang. Babara flipped over, dodging the weapon, her heart in her throat.

The room _blurred_ in the chaos, lightening flashed. Thunder crashed deafeningly. The lights flickered then died. Everybody yelled, somebody banged into the wall. Tim yelped as he ran into the couch. Barbara gasped for breath on the floor, sweat sticking her hair to her forehead. Sounds blurred into a roar. She couldn't breath. The darkness and noise was caving in on her.

"Everyone STOP!"

The noise froze. It went deathly silent in the pitch black dark. All that was heard was thick breathing, creaks of floor boards, and the hard patter of rain outside, now making it's way into the room.

 _It was thick and suffocating._ Barbara started _aching_ for noise.

"Not to worry, I'll have this fixed in no time."

Somebody _snorted_.

Barbara felt hairs lift on her neck. Strangers, _threats_ , were in _here_ , in the _dark_ . . . her mind shut down in it's extreme panicked thoughts. . . _what if. . . what if. . . what if. . . ._

The lights clicked back on.

And she _knew_ . . . before she even _saw_.

 _There_ on the floor, her breath was sucked out of her lungs, lay a familiarly costumed man clutching a red helmet wearing man in a headlock. . . in the Wayne manor living room.

The world _spun_. . .

 _She suddenly wished the lights had stayed off._

* * *

 ** _DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN!_**

 ** _I have been waiting for this moment! And the next one, and the next one. and serval more after those . . . but you get it._**

 ** _This is a very big point in the story! Also I think it's the end of part two . . . not sure. Gotta check. Either this chapters the end or the next one. Part three will start soon._**

 ** _Sooooo give me a review to let me know what you think about this! Finally so many emotions to build up._**

 ** _Next ones' gonna be a blast!_**


	18. Chap 18: Son of What?

**sOk, Last Chapter this week.4**

 **Four chapters this week.**

 **I only got one review.**

 **That might bother me just a tad. I KNOW people are reading my story but I FEEL really lonely and uncertain when nobody reviews. Cuz seriously, you know you all share that sentiment. Just pop a few by me in the next couple days ok. Not too many, just a few . . . and yes I understand most of you are probably studying and taking exams right now . . . still.**

 **Anyway. Enjoy!**

 **I was aiming for a highly traumatic emotional mess in this one . . . I don't know if I succeeded.**

 **Maybe you can tell me that.**

* * *

Time had stopped. Years turned to months, months turned to days, days turned into seconds . . . Memories blurred together like running water paint on a canvas.

Spots swam before her eyes. Everyone froze. Nobody dared breath. Emotions that she wouldn't allow her self to feel for so long crashed on top of her _so_ hard she turned numb.

She couldn't move. _Breath, anything._

He was there . . . he was actually _there_ , caught in the same criminal they had been chasing for _months_. Both elusive, both sprawled _right_ in front of her.

She couldn't believe, _wouldn't_ believe. Her heart gave a sickening jab, she felt the air collapse around her. Gravity pulled her down _hard_. She almost fell face first.

Then he moved. He _dared_ to move. Barbara felt her lungs lose the air she had. He was _actually_ there. Still in Nightwings suit, in a _hero's_ suit. A hero she had believed in so faithfully only to have reality smash her heart into pieces. Telling her she was a fool for _ever_ believing in him.

He peeled off his mask, face unreadable.

Nobody breathed. The air was stale. _All this time,_ he could have been there. _All this time,_ she hadn't known where he was. _He'd left_. Abandoned his family, _her,_ Tim, _everyone!_ And now he was standing next to The red helmeted man, who was momentarily forgotten and in handcuffs, on the floor.

He took a step towards her. She blinked.

Another step. Her body turned ridged.

His blue eyes, those blue eyes were _real._ Looking at her. _Analyzing_ her.

Suddenly the numb dam broke. Her feelings flooded, she almost screamed and caved into everything at once. Instead . . .

She punched him. _Hard._

The force came straight from her back. He yelped and flew backwards, rolling in a heap. Her eyes blurred, teeth gritted, _somebody snorted_ . . . she felt like she knew that _snort_. . . _oddly_. But her mind wasn't clear. She couldn't think clearly. All she could do was _feel._

 _Happy_ he was alive, _furious_ he had come back like this, _miserable_ that he hadn't called her at _all_ , so many other things swirled inside her harder and faster than a hurricane. But mostly _rage_. _Rage came out on top_. She let out a screech and barreled into the body, half expecting it to fade like it always did in her few dreams.

 _It didn't._ Usually calm, collected, master of herself, Barbabra Gordon, lost control . She punched, and pelted and swore, she didn't even know what came out of herself. Tears streamed down her face unnoticed by her, her heart stinging, as each fist struck his body.

Somebody pulled her back. She cursed and struggled. Her eyes only seeing red, her heart pounding in her ears. Hot, deadly rage seethed out of her. Just so she wouldn't feel how hard she just broke. . . How much she felt betrayed. How much she had missed him. _So_ much.

"Babs stop!" You can't- I-" Timmy's voice penetrated her mind. Her hard breathing fueled by her adrenaline turned to deep gulping breaths of air. She relaxed slowly, her red anger diminished. She blinked rapidly, taking in the sight all over again. Dick Grayson was on the floor, sitting up dizzily, holding the side of his now swollen face.

She swallowed thickly.

"How- how _dare_ you-" Her voice seeped out in a broken whisper. Horse and sore from the pain.

Dick stood up, wiping some blood off his face. He didn't look angry. _Just guilty._

It hurt like _hell_.

"Babs-"

 _God no_. He said her name. _Why-why did he say her name?! H_ e wasn't _real_ , he _couldn_ 't be, if he was she didn't know how to deal with it. She squeezed her blue eyes shut. Willing the torturous pain to go away, willing him to disappear.

She opened them.

 _He was still there._

"You - can't be-"

"I deserved that and probably worse." He burst out and took solid steps towards her, she backed up into Tim. Annie and Zatanna had frozen in a corner, wide eyed and clinging to each other

"But hear me out, Please Babs. I-I know ' _sorry's_ ' not gonna ever make up for it. But let me show you why I did . . . what I did. . ." His eyes turned towards the figure on the floor.

All followed his gaze. Barbara's heart hitched. The red helmet, motorcycle jacket clad, psycho was in their living room, on his knees, his hand handcuffed by Bat cuffs behind his back . . . but that wasn't what got her.

What shocked the living soul out of her was how he hung forward, how his body language screamed anything but psychotic. It said something along the lines of . . . _dejected?_

Dick walked towards the man.

Tim clutched the red headed girls hand, as if she was a life line. Or maybe he was the life line. Barbara couldn't tell. Her brain hurt way to much to think straight at the moment. What was this? _What was this?_ She couldn't understand.

Even Alfred looked pale as he watched Dick lean over towards the known serial killer.

He hissed something to Dick.

Dick said nothing. He grasped either side of the mans helmet and pulled.

Barbara gasped so fast her throat clogged. Timmy actually blanked out for a minute. Zatanna hiccuped and nearly burst into tears. Annie turned deathly stone.

"My . . . _god_." Alfred whispered in pure shock.

Babs stepped forward shakily, reality shattered. Hard green eyes looked into her stunned blue ones. She lost her footing and fell to her knees in front of him.

"J-Ja-son?" She hiccuped, not believing it for a moment. The serial killer she had vowed to bring down no matter what . . . was _Jason Todd_ . One of her best friends, her would be annoying little brother, Robin . . . _alive,_ like that damned hunting report said. Alive and _dangerous._

She reached out a shaky hand, her fingers grazed the boys cheek. He didn't flinch. Something flashed across his hard eyes. But he didn't move. Barbara felt her heart break, she slapped a hand over her mouth, tears spilled out and ran down her pale face, she hiccuped as her vision blurred, her heart pounding uncontrolled, breathing shallow.

"My god . . . Jason. It-I can't - how-" She couldn't talk. Too many words wanted to pour out of her mouth, but she couldn't form them fast enough.

He tilted her head and gave her a dry smirk, "Nice to see you too Barbie."

 _That did it._

She slapped him across the face, like a whip, and clutched him in a death like hug. Fisting his jacket and literally bawled for the unfairness and evil of their entire hateful world.

"Babs . . ." Dicks voice smashed into her brain. She was on emotional overload. She forgot everything else. Only emotional pain that was so intense she felt it physically.

Lightening flashed, somebody banged on the front doors . Everyone jumped from their unbelieving shocked states.

Barbara turned around, weak, eyes brimmed with unshed tears, red and itchy, her face wet and pale, _who the hell_ -

Alfred walked towards the door briskly, seemingly recovered from the intense situation they were enduring and threw opened the heavy doors.

"There _is_ a door bell Mr. Queen - Oh my." The elderly man stopped as Green Arrow stomped inside, dragging a resisting little boy clad in what looked like a ninja suit behind him. Tied up in titanium rope . . .

His face was _livid_ , the boy kicked his shin, _hard._

"Ow, you little piece of-"

"Mr. _Queen_?" Alfred raised a arched brow at the seething man, his eyes slid towards the scowling child in his grip. Asking the question without the words.

Arrow turned to the others, " _This_ is the little prick Batman said to get. Talia gave it to him, here knock yourselves, or _him_ , out. I'll check on you guys later." He threw a deadly glare at the little ninja, "When I don't feel like stabbing this little _punk_." He tossed the boy towards anyone. Dick caught him, his face stunned.

All looked pretty much like a deer in headlights. Except the handcuffed boy on the floor. He looked border line amused.

Arrow let out a hard huff, "Good. _Luck._ "

He turned to go.

Barbara swallowed, her heart in no shape to deal with more shock. Her com had other plans. She flipped it on numbly, unable to wrap her brain into actually working anymore. Her eyes bugged as Batman's voice came through a stream of static.

"Did Arrow deliver the package?"

 _"What the fuck!_ " Tim finally burst out, swearing wasn't his thing, but this whole mess had him turning and twisting like a pretzel.

Ollie evidently had had enough, "I did and you should know that ' _package_ ' your bitch gave me, " Somebody snorted, "Is a _freaking rabid ten year old_ _assassin kid_!" He yelled in pure frustrated anger.

The red head snatched the com back from him, "There's something else you should-"

"Ow!" Dick yelped and all turned to look. The little assassin had punched him viciously after the older man was stupid enough to let him out of Arrows binds.

"I'm not merely a _package_!" He hissed in a deadly tone, glaring at everyone like they were some nasty dirt beneath him.

Barbara pushed her hair out of her hot face. Stress levels peaking. This was all becoming too much, she hadn't even digested, _Dick, Jason, Now this!_ She was on the verge of a mental break down and a possible heart attack.

"Batgirl. Answer!" Batman's voice came out clipped and hard even for being covered in static.

"I- don't understand thi-"

"Of course you don't." The child stepped forward in what looked like a regal manner, "You're all morons. I," He gestured to himself, all eyes fell on him, breathing stopped.

 _"Am The Son Of Batman."_

* * *

 ** _AAAND THERE YOU HAVE IT! Part two is doooone! Now on to part three, where I will have to deal with emotional messes, broken trusts, mental issues, and crazy Al Ghul plans. . . also assassins and Batman and. . . ._**

 ** _Man, I really hope you guys liked this cliff hanger._**

 ** _Did anyone see Damian coming?_**

 ** _Yes? No? Yes? Ok. See you guys Monday!_**


End file.
